Prima enrols first patient for cancer trial

Prima BioMed (ASX:PRR) has enrolled the first patient for a late-stage trial of its CVac ovarian cancer therapy vaccine.

The CANVAS (short for CANcer VAccine Study) trial will study the use of CVac to help extend the time that epithelial ovarian, primary peritoneal or fallopian tube cancers remain in remission.

CANVAS will involve 800 patients across 150 centres in 22 countries in Australasia, Europe and the US. It will take the form of a randomised, double-blinded, placebo controlled trial.

All the women enrolled in the trial will be in complete remission after completing surgical treatment and chemotherapy for ovarian cancer.

The first patient was recruited in the US, and Prima announced it expects to ramp up enrolment across the trial sites through this year, and to complete the recruitment process by the second half of 2013. Registration details will be posted at the American clinical trials registry.

The results from the trial will be analysed to determine whether CVac can definitely extend the time in remission after surgery and chemotherapy, extend life expectancy and improve quality of life. CVac is Prima's lead product. But the company is also developing other potential cancer therapies, including a monoclonal antibody that would target Cripto-1, a protein found in a number of tumour types.

Last month, the company won a patent for the use of antibodies directed at Cripto-1 in Japan. It has also been granted similar patents in Australia, New Zealand, China, South Korea and the USA.

Prima BioMed (ASX:PRR) shares stayed flat on Friday following the announcement, after falling 3.03% to $0.160 a day earlier.