Clinical Research Trials
CLINICAL RESEARCH TRIALS: Progress being made at UAB
Just recently, it seems much headway is being made in the way of ovarian cancer research and early detection. Even though this research has been taking place for years, we are, for the first time, feeling extremely hopeful that the answer to early detection is within the reach of the research community abroad. The Norma Livingston Ovarian Cancer Foundation is pleased to give our supporters an update on the progress of projects that you have helped generously support at the University of Alabama in Birmingham.
The first of these projects is the Serum Proteomics: For Detection of Ovarian Cancer Using the Correlogic Systems, Inc. Serome Pattern Blood Test™ System. This trial is evaluating a new serum-based test that looks for patterns of proteins that can be utilized for the detection of ovarian cancer. The researches as UAB have enrolled over 275 patients in this multi-center trial since its inception and are the leading institution with respect to patient accrual. They anticipate early findings from this trial to become available later this year. The foundation’s initial investment has also lead to an additional investment by Correlogics, Inc., to further extend the study. The second of these projects is a Phase I Study of a Tropism Modified Conditionally Replicative Adenovirus Vector (Ad5-D24RGD) for Intraperitoneal Delivery in Patients with Recurrent Ovarian and Other Selected Gynecologic Cancers. This is the first trial in the world to ever utilize a gene therapeutic that has been modified in such a manner as to improve the ability of the gene therapeutic to get into targeted ovarian cancer cells. This study was presented at the American Society of Gene Therapy in May of this year and the Foundation was acknowledged in a very public manner. Accrual to this study continues.
With both of these projects well underway, the foundation has just recently granted the researchers at UAB another $35,000 to help fund an additional clinical trial. The Early Phase Clinical Trial Evaluating the Potential Utility of the Novel Death Receptor Targeted Monoclonal Antibody, TRA-8, in Combination with Conventional Chemotherapy in Patients with Ovarian Cancer . This is an exciting trial that will investigate a new monoclonal antibody, TRA-8, that in large part has been developed here at UAB in collaboration with Sankyo, Inc. TRA-8 targets the death receptor type 5 on the surface of ovarian cancer cells. The $35,000 will be utilized to support important laboratory studies that will assess whether we can identify biomarkers that will predict sensitivity of ovarian cancer primary specimens to this novel therapy. Accrual to this trial is expected to begin later this year.
With the efforts being made across the country and all that is on the horizon here at UAB, we can remain hopeful that answers we have been longing for are almost here. We must also continue our efforts and in educating the public of the signs and symptoms, as well as the facts of this deadly disease. Together, we can and will make a difference.