Immunotherapy Clinical Trial Opens in Chicago

Internationally recognized mesothelioma specialist Dr. Hedy Kindler is recruiting patients for what could become a groundbreaking clinical trial at the University of Chicago Medicine's Comprehensive Cancer Center. Her expectations are high. There are 90 different clinical trials in various stages around the country today testing pembrolizumab — the hottest new immunotherapy cancer drug — but only one trial involves malignant mesothelioma. The University of Chicago has it. "This is really exciting," she told the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation last month. "This is an exciting class of drugs. Not only do they shrink the tumors, but they have a sustained and prolonged response. This is taking it to the next level." Kindler said it is the first phase II trial for mesothelioma in which everyone is getting pembrolizumab. There is no placebo involved. She believes her trial will build on the success of a smaller study completed recently by the University of Pennsylvania, where 19 of the 25 mesothelioma patients who received pembrolizumab experienced tumor shrinkage or the stopped of any tumor growth. "There was a very high response rate, and an even higher rate of disease control," she said. Pleural and Peritoneal Patients Are Eligible Patients diagnosed with pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma are eligible for the Chicago trial, which is expected to include 65 participants and run through 2018. Prospective participants already should have completed ...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Research & Clinical Trials Source Type: news