Sequential administration of the native TERT572 cryptic peptide enhances the immune response initiated by its optimized variant TERT(572Y) in cancer patients.

The aim of this study was to investigate the best administration of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT572), an human leukocyte antigen-A*0201-restricted cryptic epitope of telomerase, and its optimized variant TERT(572Y) to elicit specific T cell immune responses in cancer patients. Forty-eight cancer patients with chemo-resistant tumors received 2 subcutaneous injections of TERT(572Y) at 2 mg followed at random by 4 subcutaneous injections of either TERT572 or TERT(572Y) peptides at 2 mg every 3 weeks. Specific immune response was evaluated by interferon-γ enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot.

Clinical outcome of patients with various advanced cancer types vaccinated with an optimized cryptic human telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) peptide: results of an expanded phase II study.

Background: TERT (telomerase reverse transcriptase) plays a critical role in tumor cell growth and survival. In an expanded phase II study, we evaluated the immunological and clinical responses to the TERT-targeting Vx-001 vaccine in patients with advanced solid tumors.

Methods: HLA-A*0201-positive patients received two subcutaneous injections of the optimized TERT(572Y) peptide followed by four injections of the native TERT(572) peptide, every 3 weeks.

Immunological responses in cancer patients after vaccination with the therapeutic telomerase-specific vaccine Vx-001.

Vx-001, an HLA-A*0201 restricted telomerase (TERT)-specific anti-tumor vaccine, is composed of the 9-mer cryptic TERT(572) peptide and its optimized variant TERT(572Y). We have previously shown that Vx-001 is non-toxic, highly immunogenic and in vaccinated NSCLC patients early specific immune response is associated with prolonged survival. The aim of the present study was to investigate the specific T-cell immune response against Vx-001.

Vaccination of patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer with an optimized cryptic human telomerase reverse transcriptase peptide.

Purpose: To evaluate the immunological and clinical response as well as the safety of the optimized peptide telomerase reverse transcriptase p572Y (TERT572Y) presented by HLA-A*0201 in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Patients And Methods: Twenty-two patients with advanced NSCLC and residual (n = 8) or progressive disease (PD; n = 14) following chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy received two subcutaneous injections of the optimized TERT572Y peptide followed by four injections of the native TERT572 peptide administered every 3 weeks. Peptide-specific immune responses were monitored by enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot assay and/or TERT572Y pentamer staining.