GVAX (Cell Genesys).

Cell Genesys (formerly Somatix Therapy Corp) is developing GVAX as a potential cancer vaccine for various tumor types. Clinical trials have commenced for melanoma, renal tumor, lung tumor, pancreatic tumor, prostate tumor and multiple myeloma [191143], [287470], [298308], [367408], [401114]; trials are planned for 2001 in leukemia (phase I) and pancreatic cancer (phase II) [366918], [388814]. A worldwide collaboration was signed with Japan Tobacco in December 1998, covering the application of GVAX in prostate cancer trials [312213]. This collaboration may be extended to lung cancer and melanoma, depending on the clinical trial results for prostate cancer [309873], [311835]. The Japanese clinical trials were put on hold on 21 September 2000 due to problems with the mass production of cells by Cell Genesys [384885]. Somatix was developing GVAX until its merger with Cell Genesys in June 1997 [248422]. In April 2001, Cell Genesys initiated the first in a series of trials of a high-potency version of GVAX prostate cancer vaccine following encouraging phase II data reported for its first-generation product. The high-potency form of GVAX is similar to the first-generation product except that it releases an increased quantity of immune system stimulant [405932].