Debiopharm validates 0512 as hTNFa vacc

Lausanne, Switzerland-based drugmaker Debiopharm presented preclinical data that validate the mechanism of action of Debio-0512, its potential treatment for cancer cachexia, as an anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha therapeutic vaccine that inhibits inflammatory processes in animal models of acute and chronic inflammation.

Debio-0512 is a keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH)-human TNFa heterocomplex (hTNFa kinoid), according to the results of the study, which were presented at the recent medical conference on Tumor Microenvironment, held in Florence, Italy.

"These results confirm that therapeutic vaccination against human TNFa could represent in the future, an effective approach for the treatment of TNFa-dependent inflammatory pathologies including rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease," said Daniel Zagury, co-author of the report. "Debiopharm's plan is for IND-enabling studies to be ready by the end of this year. We believe that active immunization may offer advantages over passive anti-TNFa monoclonal antibody therapy, by potentially limiting therapeutic failure related to the formation of anti-idiotypic antibodies. Moreover, the potential low frequency of boost immunizations would increase patient compliance," he added.