Only Participating Clinical Site in the Northeast United States
Capital Health Cancer Center has announced that it has joined TVAX Biomedical, Inc.’s clinical trial to study a potential novel therapy for glioblastoma (GBM), the most common type of malignant brain cancer. Capital Health Cancer Center is one of five clinical sites open in the United States and currently the only East Coast location north of Florida to offer access to the TVAX trial.
“Our participation in clinical trials is critical to Capital Health’s focus on providing the best and most personalized care possible for our patients,” said Dr. Navid Redjal, director of Neurosurgical Oncology at Capital Health. “Thanks to the efforts of our amazing clinical and research teams, we’re excited to offer this groundbreaking trial to our patients and contribute data to a study that could lead to an exciting new therapy for treating GBM.”
There have been many trials over the past 20 years seeking to use the power of the immune system to attack GBM. None to date has proven effective. The investigational approach proposed by the TVAX protocol utilizes a patient’s own tumor cells to create a vaccine, which then is given to the patient to generate a specific immune response to their tumor. The laboratory collects, activates and expands these anti-tumor immune cells, which may lead to a more robust immune response when given back to the patient. The goal of this study is to evaluate whether or not this approach will overcome the natural tumor immune suppression of GBM and allow the immune system to kill remaining tumor cells.
“We’re excited to be part of studies like the TVAX trial and offer patients new possibilities for treatment of glioblastoma,” said Dr. Michael Salacz, director of Medical Neuro-Oncology at Capital Health. “This is a true personalized treatment approach that uses a patient’s own tumor to unlock the power of their immune system to kill any remaining cancer cells. Our participation in the study could lead to better outcomes for patients and their families fighting brain tumors like glioblastoma in our region and beyond.”
“TVAX Biomedical is very pleased to include Capital Health and the expertise of Drs. Navid Redjal and Michael Salacz and their entire staff in this study. We hope this late-stage clinical study will significantly improve clinical outcomes for these patients with so few options,” said Dr. Wayne Carter, CEO of TVAX Biomedical.
The TVAX clinical trial at Capital Health Cancer Center is open to adults from age 18 to 80 with a new diagnosis of glioblastoma with methylguanine methyltranserase (MGMT) that is active or “unmethylated.” Because collecting enough cells to create the vaccine is the first step of this immune treatment, patients will need to be able to have surgery at Capital Health. Trial screening is required to determine if candidates meet the full criteria for participation in any clinical trial.
To learn more about this and other ongoing trials available at Capital Health’s Center for Neuro-Oncology, please call 609-394-4130.
About TVAX Biomedical, Inc.
TVAX Biomedical, Inc., based in Lenexa, Kansas, is developing an investigational new approach to cancer treatment that could lead to improved clinical outcomes, low toxicity, and the potential for fundamentally changing the way cancer is treated. The TVAX immunotherapy trial uses both cancer vaccine pretreatment to generate cancer-specific T cells and activated “killer” T cell treatment. In addition to Capital Health, other TVAX sites that are part of this study are located in Los Angeles, California, Orlando, Florida; and Kansas City, Kansas.
About Capital Health
Capital Health is the Central New Jersey/Lower Bucks County region’s leader in providing progressive, quality patient care. Comprising two hospitals (Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton and Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell), Bordentown and Hamilton outpatient facilities, and various primary and specialty care practices across the region, Capital Health is a dynamic health care resource accredited by DNV – Healthcare, and a five-time Magnet-designated health system for nursing excellence.
The Center for Neuro-Oncology, part of Capital Institute for Neurosciences and Capital Health Cancer Center, is a referral center for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer involving the brain and spine. The Center is housed in state-of-the-art facilities where patients have access to an experienced and caring team of physicians, nurses and staff who work closely with referring physicians to facilitate rapid and thorough evaluations and recommendations for patients and their families. In addition to providing advanced neuro-oncologic and neuroscience care, the Center participates in clinical trials to develop better ways to fight cancer. To learn more, visit capitalhealth.org/neurooncology.