Theratope cells

Theratope was given to patients with breast or ovarian cancer who received peripheral blood stem cell rescue after chemotherapy. Toxicity was mostly local. In vitro, NK activity which was low before immunization returned to normal values, toxicity against cells bearing sTn antigen appeared, and lymphocytes responded to sTn, by proliferation and IFN-y production. Antibodies against sTn were detected in 16 patients, while the anti-MUC-1 antibody titer decreased [210]. The remissions were longer in treated patients and there was a tendency to a decreased risk of relapse [211],... 

Clinical Outcome of Breast and Ovarian Cancer Patients Treated after High-Dose Chemotherapy and Autologous Stem Cell Rescue with Theratope (STn-KLH) Cancer Vaccine Theratope (STn-KLH) Cancer Vaccine following Autologous Transplant... 

Between September 1995 and November 2000, 70 patients were vaccinated after autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (ASCT ) with one of two formulations of Theratope (Biomira, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) coupled with Detox B SE (Detox B) (Corixa, Hamilton, MT). The difference between the two formulations was that the later one has an increased ratio of STn conjugated to KLH compared to the first formulation. The vaccination schedule for the two different formulations was previously published as well as medical treatment history of ASCT patients 18). 

Sandmaier B. M. Oparin D. V. Holmbetg L. A. et al. Evidence of a cellular immune response against sialyl-Tn in breast and ovarian cancer patients after high-dose chemotherapy, stem cell rescue and immunization with Theratope STn -KLH cancer vaccine. J Immunotherapy 1999, 22, 54-66. 

Holmberg L. A. Oparin D. V. Gooey T. Sandmaier B. The role of cancer vaccines following autologous stem cell rescue in breast and ovarian cancer patients experience with the STn-KLH vaccine (Theratope). Clinical Breast Cancer (Supple) 2003, SI44-150. 

Theratope is a cancer vaccine that consists of modified tumor glycopeptide antigens for patients with advanced breast cancer. The antigen is attached to Keyhole Limpet Hemocy-anin (KLH) protein to increase the immune response to the vaccine. The vaccine uses a carbohydrate antigen known as STn, part of a larger antigen, mucin-1, found on breast cancer cells. Theratope is in phase III human trial, which has as an endpoint of increased survival. 

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