The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting took place from April 8th until the 13th, with lots of interesting data and innovations presented by some of the leaders in the field. One specific presentation came from IMV Inc. and focused on an investigational combination treatment for bladder cancer: maveropepimut-S (MVP-S) plus pembrolizumab. The Chief Scientific Officer at IMV, Jeremy R. Graff, Ph.D., presented the data on April 12th. You can find the full session here.

New Treatment Combination for Bladder Cancer

The data presented was sourced from a Phase 2 clinical trial that evaluated MVP-S and pembrolizumab in 17 patients with metastatic, advanced bladder cancer. On average, these affected individuals had already been treated with two prior therapies. After investigation, the following information was discovered:

• The drug combination was well-tolerated
  • The majority of adverse events fell under grade 1 or 2
• Two patients experienced a complete response
• Three patients experienced a partial response
• The drug combination provided long-term benefits
  • Researchers also saw an increase in the peripheral blood’s detectable survivin-specific T cells
  • A single patient remains on this combination after 18 months

Looking Forward

This data is very positive for medical professionals and patients alike, as it represents a possible new treatment option for a population facing an unmet medical need. Now, the next steps are to design and conduct further clinical trials so that drug development may continue.

You can find the source article here.

About Bladder Cancer

As the name suggest, this cancer begins in the cells of the bladder, which is the organ that holds urine. Males over the age of 55 are at the highest risk of this cancer. Additional risk factors include smoking, a family history of bladder cancer, chronic bladder inflammation, exposure to certain chemicals like arsenic, and prior cancer treatment. When one has bladder cancer, they will experience symptoms such as:

• Painful urination
• Blood in the urine
• Back pain
• Frequent urination

There are a number of treatment options, including radiation, surgery, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, intravesical chemotherapy, and systemic chemotherapy. Doctors will decide which option or combination of options to use based on overall health, patient preferences, and cancer grade and stage.