Advaxis develops Lovaxin S vaccine to treat ovarian cancer

By Lisa Kerner

Erie, Pa., May 15 - Advaxis, Inc. has developed an additional vaccine to treat ovarian cancer, Lovaxin S, a listeria-based vaccine intended to induce ovarian tumor antigen-specific responses and antigen-specific helper T cell responses.

The Lovaxin S vaccine was formulated in six weeks by the Advaxis research and development team, according to a company news release.

"The Advaxis listeria technology is applicable to a wide variety of antigens and hence will be useful in a wide variety of cancers," president and chief executive officer Roni Appel said in the release.

"Since the listeria-based technology platform is already complete, developing additional vaccines by using other effective tumor-specific antigen fusion proteins is extremely practical."

In addition to Lovaxin S, Advaxis previously announced Lovaxin B, its vaccine for the treatment of breast cancer. These vaccines could be efficacious in treating additional indications such as pancreatic and lung cancer, the company said.

"There is a need to develop a less debilitating and stressful therapeutic approach to ovarian cancer because the disease, without obvious symptoms, often goes undiagnosed until it has advanced and spread to other organs, which results in the requirement for very toxic and debilitating therapies," vice president of clinical development John Rothman stated in the release.

"In 2005, there were 22,220 new cases in the United States, and 16,210 deaths."

Based in North Brunswick, N.J., Advaxis is developing proprietary Listeria cancer vaccines.

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