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Prostate cancer is one of the most common types
of cancer, and in the United States and Europe it ranks as the leading
form of cancer among men. (Global Action Against Cancer, WHO and
IUAC, 2005).
It was reported that in 2005 there were approximately 230,000 prostate
cancer patients in the US, and approximately 30,000 deaths attributable
to prostate cancer. (The changing face of prostate cancer, Introduction,
Journal of Clinical Oncology 23(No32) November 10, 2005). In Europe,
approximately 140,000 patients suffered from prostate cancer and
approximately 60,000 prostate cancer patients died in 1998 (Should
mass screening for prostate cancer be introduced at the national
level ? WHO, 2005).
In Japan, there were 17,865 patients with prostate cancer in fiscal
1999 (Cancer Statistics in Japan ‘05 (Foundation for Promotion
of Cancer Research)). However, in recent years, the prevalence rate
has been increasing rapidly every year, and finding a cure for prostate
cancer has now become an important priority. It is predicted that
fatalities from prostate cancer will expand to approximately 13,000
per year by 2015.
Today, one major problem with prostate cancer is that no effective
therapy has been developed for advanced hormone-refractory prostate
cancer (HRPC), a type that is resistant to hormone therapy and anticancer
drug treatment. |
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GreenPeptide is developing ITK-1 for the treatment
of advanced HRPC. ITK-1 is composed of 14 peptides which were selected
from among many cancer specific antigen peptides based on the clinical
efficacy in exploratory clinical research carried out at the Kurume
University School of Medicine.
By selecting a maximum of 4 optimal peptides for each patient from
among these 14 candidate peptides, GreenPeptide aims to develop personalized
peptide vaccines that are clinically effective and produce no serious
adverse drug reactions. |
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We have already filed an Investigational New Drug
Application (IND) with the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency
(PMDA), and have started Phase I trials of personalized peptide vaccines
for advanced HRPC.
Our target prostate cancer patients are medically castrated, refractory
to hormone and estramustine (EMP) treatment, and have the HLA-A24
phenotype. We are administering personalized peptide vaccines in
combination with EMP to these patients in order to confirm the safety
and efficacy of the treatment in Japan.
We also plan to carry out preclinical studies of personalized peptide
vaccines for prostate cancer patients with the HLA-A2 phenotype,
targeting the US and European market. Toxicity and formulation studies
of these personalized peptide vaccines will be carried out in animals. |
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