New Cancer Vaccine Trial for Hemangiosarcoma in Canines

Overview of Calviri's Cancer Vaccine Trial

A new cancer vaccine trial for canines with early-stage hemangiosarcoma (HSA) is underway. Calviri, a biotechnology company that creates therapeutic and preventative cancer vaccines for dogs and humans, announced it has vaccinated its first participant with its investigational immunotherapy vaccine.

Study Objective and Methodology

The study, titled the Scout Out Canine Hemangiosarcoma (SOCH), aims to explore whether Calviri's “pre-made” vaccine can lengthen the lifespan of dogs with stage 1 or stage 2 tumors when paired with standard care treatment like surgery and chemotherapy. The vaccine’s objective is to activate the immune system to identify and destroy cancer cells.

Neoantigens and Vaccine Development

• Calviri found an alternative source of neoantigens derived from tumor RNA variants.
• These neoantigens are shared across patients and tumor types, enabling the creation of “off-the-shelf” vaccines.

According to a news release, a recent clinical trial evaluated a preventative cancer vaccine formulated from similar neoantigens in dogs.

Importance of the SOCH Trial

The new vaccine distinguishes itself from other cancer vaccines, which are generally used to treat advanced-stage tumors in humans and dogs. The SOCH trial is set to be the first to target early-stage tumors, aiming to improve survival rates by treating these smaller, less advanced tumors.