A French biotechnology company said that its cancer vaccine was effective in decreasing the risk of death for people with some lung cancers by 41%.
A new vaccine has been shown to improve survival for people suffering from certain lung cancers, according to a French biotechnology company.
Ose Immunotherapeutics’ Tedopi vaccine has been shown to be effective in reducing mortality rates in certain lung cancers, the company said in a statement on Monday.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Europe and the US.
The results of a phase 3 clinical trial to evaluate the therapeutic benefits of the vaccine – the last step before a drug can be marketed – were published in the Annals of Oncology journal.
The vaccine was administered to patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC or adenocarcinoma), the most common type of lung cancer and one that is “usually less sensitive to chemotherapy and radiation therapy,” according to the US Cancer Institute.
A total of 219 patients, all of whom had shown resistance to other treatments, took part in the study in nine European countries and the United States. There were 139 patients who received the vaccine and 80 who received chemotherapy.
The patients who received Tedopi showed a significantly higher survival rate and a better quality of life than those who received chemotherapy.
“A significant 41% reduction in the risk of death was observed, associated with an improved tolerance score and maintained quality of life,” said Professor Benjamin Besse from the Gustave Roussy Institute, the study’s lead author, in a statement.