Cytheris publish new oncology data

A second phase 1 trial in oncology has highlighted the potential for Interleukin-7 to induce dramatic and prolonged CD4 and CD8 T cell expansion.

The results, from data published by clinical stage biopharma company Cytheris, supports the potential of the IL-7 investigational product as an immunotherapy for the treatment of patients. The areas with impaired immunity due to physiologic (age), iatrogenic (chemotherapy or transplantation) or pathologic (HIV) lymphodepletion.

'Impaired immune reconstitution remains a significant medical problem in many clinical settings due to the fact that no agent able to safely expand a broad repertoire of T cells has yet been identified,' said Michel Morre, DVM, president and ceo of Cytheris.

'This study demonstrates that IL-7 administration can safely induce polyclonal T cell expansion resulting in dramatic increases in T cell number, supporting the potential of IL-7 as a clinically effective T cell growth factor. We are especially pleased with these results as they reflect our long term and productive collaboration with NCI.'

Investigational recombinant human Interleukin-7 (r-hIL-7) is a critical growth factor for immune T-cell recovery and enhancement.

The paper entitled Administration of rhIL-7 in Humans Increases in vivo TCR Repertoire Diversity by Preferential Expansion of Naïve T cell Subsets is published in the June issue of The Journal of Experimental Medicine (Sportès, C et al, 2008, Vol. 205, No. 6:10.1084/jem.20071681).

The results of this study, performed in collaboration with US National Cancer Institute (NCI) investigators lead by Claude Sportès, Crystal Mackall and Ronald Gress.

Cytheris SA is a privately held clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on research and development of new therapies for immune modulation.