Immutep begins Ph I ImmuFact cancer study

French biopharmaceutical group Immutep SA says that its lead product, ImmuFact (IMP321), has entered a Phase I trial as a therapy for metastatic breast carcinoma. The compound, which is a potent stimulator of the T cell-based immune response, is designed to induce tumor apoptosis leading to increased tumor antigen release.

Patients participating in the study will receive six cycles of low-dose weekly paclitaxel in addition to bi-weekly administrations of ImmuFact. The program is designed to assess the compound's safety and tolerability, as well as to determine its specific pharmacodynamic parameters, such as CD8 T cell response.