Cantab Sees Success With HPV Vaccine

Cantab Pharmaceuticals has reported Phase IIa results with its TA-GW vaccine, based on human papillomavirus proteins, for the treatment and prevention of genital warts. The data, it says, indicate "safety, immunogenicity and proof of principle."

At the same meeting, which was a preview of data presented at the 15th International Papilloimavirus Workshop in Brisbane, Australia, held on December 1-6, the company also updated on other products in its pipeline and issued its financial results for the third quarter and first nine months, ended September 30, 1996.

The open-label trial, conducted at the Leeds General Infirmary in the UK, was the first for a therapeutic genital warts vaccine. It enrolled 27 male patients, 16 of whom had a history of recurrent warts and 11 who were presenting with new warts. Each patient received three intramuscular injections of the vaccine, on days one, seven and 28, at a dose of 300 micrograms. After eight weeks, patients who still had warts were treated additionally with podophyllotoxin, a highly toxic drug which is considered standard therapy.