Pilot Trial of FANG Immunotherapy in Ewing's Sarcoma

Mol Ther. 2015 Jun;23(6):1103-1109. doi: 10.1038/mt.2015.43. Epub 2015 Mar 19.

Abstract

We report on 12 consecutive patients with advanced/metastatic Ewing's sarcoma who were treated as a separate cohort of a phase 1 trial of FANG autologous immunotherapy (1 × 10(6)-2.5 × 10(7) cells/intradermal injection each month for minimum 4 months). Safety and clinical response were monitored. Patient immune response to unmodified autologous tumor cells was assessed by gamma interferon-enzyme-linked immunospot (γIFN-ELISPOT) assay using peripheral blood mononuclear cells from baseline (pretreatment) and multiple postvaccination time points. None of the 12 patients (47 vaccinations) developed grade 2/3/4 drug-related toxicity. Median product release granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor expression was 1,941 pg/10(6) cells, and TGFβ1and TGFβ2 knockdown were 99 and 100%, respectively. Eight patients were assessed for ELISPOT response to autologous tumor cells at baseline and all (100%) were negative. In contrast, follow-up ELISPOT response at month 1 or month 4 (one patient) after FANG was positive in all eight patients. One patient achieved a partial tumor response (38% tumor reduction, RECIST 1.1). The Kaplan-Meier estimated survival of these 12 patients at 1 year was 75%. In this phase 1 study in patients with Ewing's sarcoma, FANG immunotherapy was well tolerated, elicited a tumor-specific systemic immune response in all patients, and was associated with favorable 1-year survival. Further clinical testing is indicated.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / genetics
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy / methods*
  • Interferon-gamma / metabolism
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / metabolism
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Metastasis / therapy
  • Pilot Projects
  • Sarcoma, Ewing / therapy*
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / genetics
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / metabolism
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta2 / genetics
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta2 / metabolism
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Transforming Growth Factor beta1
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta2
  • Interferon-gamma
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor