On February 2, 2022 PDS Biotechnology Corporation (Nasdaq: PDSB), a clinical-stage immunotherapy company developing novel cancer therapies and infectious disease vaccines based on the Company’s proprietary Versamune and Infectimune T-cell activating technologies, reported its VERSATILE-002 Phase 2 study for the treatment of advanced human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated head and neck cancer achieved its preliminary objective response benchmarks (Press release, PDS Biotechnology, FEB 2, 2022, View Source [SID1234607612]). The trial, which studies PDS0101 in combination with Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab), will now progress to full enrollment of 54 patients in this group of checkpoint inhibitor (CPI) naïve patients. As pre-specified in the clinical trial design, the achievement of an objective response as measured by radiographic tumor responses according to RECIST 1.1 (tumor reduction of 30% or more) confirmed by two separate measurements among at least four or more of the first 17 patients in the CPI naïve arm allows that arm to progress to full enrollment. We anticipate these data will be presented in more detail at an upcoming medical conference.
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VERSATILE-002, being conducted in collaboration with Merck (known as MSD outside the US and Canada), is being studied in two groups of HPV16-positive head and neck cancer patients whose cancer has returned or spread. The first group have not been previously treated with a checkpoint inhibitor (CPI naïve). An initial assessment of the combination in a second group of 21 patients who have failed prior therapy with checkpoint inhibitors (CPI refractory) is ongoing.
"The achievement of this important milestone in the VERSATILE-002 Phase 2 clinical trial strengthens the evidence of our novel Versamune platform’s potential ability to induce high levels of tumor-specific CD8+ killer T-cells that attack the cancer to achieve tumor regression," commented Dr. Lauren V. Wood, Chief Medical Officer of PDS Biotech. "The initial data solidifies our belief that PDS0101’s demonstrated preclinical efficacy when combined with KEYTRUDA has the potential to significantly improve clinical outcomes for patients with advanced HPV16-positive head and neck cancers."
Dr. Jared Weiss, Section Chief of Thoracic and Head and Neck Oncology at the University of Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine and Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, is serving as the Lead Principal Investigator of VERSATILE-002. Patients interested in enrolling in this clinical study should email [email protected] or visit the website at View Source to learn more.
KEYTRUDA is a registered trademark of Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA.