An experimental vaccine may be able to block tumor growth in some forms of cancer even when an immune system has become suppressed, a recent Journal of Clinical Investigation study has revealed.

Cancerous cells

Progress has been announced on a vaccine to fight pancreatic cancer, which currently kills three-quarters of those diagnosed within a year and 95 percent within five years.

After the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Provenge, Dendreon's groundbreaking prostate cancer vaccine, in late April, the company announced that it would only be able to supply 2,000 patients over the following 12 months.

Testing has resumed on an experimental lung cancer vaccine by Germany's Merck KGaA and Oncothyreon, its U.S. partner.

Hhelicobacter pylori

According to The Global Times in China, scientists in Chongqing believe they have created an oral vaccine that can combat stomach bacteria helicobacter pylori, which is strongly tied to the development of stomach cancer.

Brain cancer

Officials with ImmunoCellular Therapeutics Ltd. announced las week that the early clinical trial of its brain cancer vaccine is showing progress, Reuters reports.

Melanoma

British researchers have begun testing a new vaccine that could potentially end up reversing the deadly skin cancer melanoma, according to a recent report by TopNews.in.

Metastatic melanoma cells

Cancer researchers in the U.K. say they have created a new vaccine that may ultimately offer a cure for certain types of cancer.

FRANKFURT, Germany — German drugmaker Merck KGaA put on hold all testing on humans of its experimental cancer vaccine Stimuvax after a Phase II trial participant contracted encephalitis.

TAMPA, Fla. and MINNEAPOLIS — Biovest International Inc. announced March 17 that it will present information about its personalized cancer vaccine, BiovaxID, at the following upcoming conferences:

Dendritic Cell

LOS ANGELES — ImmunoCellular Therapeutics Ltd. announced March 10 that its dendritic cell-based vaccination with cancer stem cells demonstrated a statistically significant survival benefit in a preclinical animal model of glioblastoma.

STRASBOURG, France — Transgene SA, a French biotechnology company, sold Novartis AG an option on rights to the experimental TG4010 lung cancer vaccine in a deal that may fetch as much as $960 million, Bloomberg reported.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is not planning to seek advice from its outside advisers over Dendreon Corp.'s experimental prostate cancer vaccine, Reuters reported March 5.

Mesothelioma

An investigational vaccine for the asbestos-related cancer mesothelioma is safe, according to a new study cited in a press release March 4 from the American Thoracic Society.

Kate Rittenhouse-Olson

BUFFALO, N.Y. — A University at Buffalo cancer researcher has received a $300,000 grant from King Saud University to continue her work with a Saudi researcher on a vaccine for breast cancer, the schools announced Jan. 21.

TAMPA, Fla. — Biovest International Inc. announced Jan. 7 that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted orphan drug designation to BiovaxID, Biovest’s personalized lymphoma vaccine.

Stomach Cancer

GOTHENBURG, Sweden — New research at Sahlgrenska Academy might be an important step toward creating a vaccine against ulcers and stomach cancer, The Local reported Dec. 30.

HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA — Immunovaccine Inc. announced Dec. 9 that its Investigational New Drug (IND) application for its therapeutic cancer vaccine, DPX-0907, has been cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

SEATTLE — Oncothyreon Inc. announced Dec. 10 that its development partner Merck KGaA started a late-stage trial of its cancer vaccine in patients in Asia with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

GRNVAC1

MENLO PARK, Calif. — Geron Corp. announced Dec. 8 the presentation of interim data from its phase II trial of GRNVAC1, an autologous dendritic cell vaccine, in patients with acute myelogenous leukemia at the 51st Annual Meeting of the American Society of

Harald zur Hausen

CALCUTTA, India — Cervical cancer vaccines should cost less to be more effective in lowering the death rate caused by the disease a Nobel laureate said, according to a report in The Times of India on Dec. 3.

Randal Chase

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia — Immunovaccine Inc. announced Nov. 2 that it entered into an agreement with Cato Research Canada Inc. to assist it in managing an upcoming Phase 1 clinical trial for DPX-0907.