Triple Negative Breast Cancer
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) shows no expression of estrogen or progesterone receptors, as well as it lacks the expression of the protein HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2). It is one of the most aggressive types of breast cancer growing and spreading faster than other types of breast cancer. There are few and limited treatment options.
Adoptive immunotherapy with ALECSAT cells aims to target primarily cells expressing cancer testis antigens (CTA). It has been demonstrated that expression of CTA is higher in TNBC compared to other types of breast cancer. The CTA named SPANXB1, has an oncogenic effect promoting the metastatic properties of cancer cells and the hypothesis is therefore that targeting cells expressing different CTA’s will kill cancer cells with high metastatic potentials. Therefore, expectations are that the ALECSAT treatment should have a therapeutic effect in TNBC patients.
The CV007 study “ImmunoBreast – A phase Ib study to investigate the safety, tolerability and efficacy of ALECSAT treatment as an add-on therapy to carboplatin and gemcitabine in patients with locally advanced or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer” was initiated in 2020 aiming to enroll 20 patients.