New Article on PROSTVAC® and Other Immunotherapies for Prostate Cancer

Kvistgård, Denmark, July 28, 2011, Bavarian Nordic (OMX: BAVA) - A review article on immunotherapy in prostate cancer was recently published online in the scientific journal, Vaccine. The article: "Immunotherapy in prostate cancer: Emerging strategies against a formidable foe" is authored by key investigators from the National Cancer Insitute1).

This comprehensive article provides a perspective on the use of immunotherapy in prostate cancer and reviews the most promising therapies, either approved or in late-stage development, that target the different antigens associated with prostate cancer. Furthermore it discusses the use of these therapies in new settings that combine existing treatments with new therapies, such as PROSTVAC® which may eventually form new strategies to combat prostate cancer. 

Data from several completed and ongoing clinical studies with PROSTVAC® that have previously been reported are summarized in the article. 

An abstract of the article is available on the company's website:

www.bavarian-nordic.com/cancer/prostate-cancer/prostvac/data/scientific-publications.aspx

About PROSTVAC®

PROSTVAC® is an "off-the-shelf" therapeutic vaccine moving into late stage clinical development that has the potential to extend the lives of people with advanced prostate cancer. Administered subcutaneously, it induces a specific, targeted immune response that attacks prostate cancer cells. Conventional chemotherapy currently used to treat prostate cancer has shown limited improvement in OS and is often associated with serious side effects. In contrast, PROSTVAC® has the potential to extend survival with minimal toxicity. 

In a large, prospective randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2 study of 125 patients with metastatic prostate cancer, patients in the PROSTVAC® group had a significantly longer median overall survival by 8.5 months compared to the control group (p=0.006). The hazard ratio estimate for overall survival from the study is 0.56 (95% CI 0.37-0.85).

In clinical trials to date, PROSTVAC® and related PSA containing poxviral vaccines have been investigated in more than 570 patients. 

1) Bilusic M, et al. Immunotherapy in prostate cancer: Emerging strategies against a formidable foe. Vaccine (2011), doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2011.06.088

Contact:

Anders Hedegaard, President & CEO.
Phone: +45 23 20 30 64