Cancer Study Completed
For the past 5 years my two Spinoni have participated in a double-blind study to test a vaccine for canine cancer. I wrote about this in a previous newsletter article 4 years ago called “MUZZLING CANCER” https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1gaCQujrmaQis9R0emIr14nl7945-xuGM The study completed in September 2024 and now results have been published. I am reprinting the article with the results with the design of the study first.
The Vaccination Against Canine Cancer Study (VACCS trial) will be the largest clinical trial conducted to date for canine cancer. The goal of the VACCS trial is to evaluate a new vaccine strategy for the prevention, rather than treatment of dogs with cancer. Healthy dogs meeting the qualifications below will be randomized to receive either a series of vaccines similar to other routine vaccines that are given to dogs currently, or placebo vaccines. Dogs will live at home and be checked 2 times yearly until May 2024. A financial incentive will be offered to defray the cost associated with diagnostics and treatment of any cancers that dogs develop, regardless of whether they are receiving the vaccine or placebo. In addition to potentially providing a new strategy for cancer prevention in dogs, if successful, this study could provide important justification for eventually looking at a similar approach in humans.
Study Qualifications
* Owners must live within 150 miles of one of the participating trial sites:
- Colorado State University | Fort Collins, Colorado
- University of California – Davis | Davis, California
- University of Wisconsin – Madison | Madison, Wisconsin
* Be between 5.5 and 11.5 years of age
* Weigh at least 12 pounds (5 kg)
* No history of previous cancer
* No significant other illness that could result in a life span of less than 5 years
* No history of previous autoimmune disease
* No current treatment with oral or injectable immunosuppressive medications
* Only breeds listed below are eligible
Mixed breed (includes Doodles, Puggles, etc.), Afghan hound, Airedale terrier, Alaskan malamute, Basset hound, Beagle, Bernese mountain dog, Borzoi, Boston terrier, Boxer, Briard, Bullmastiff, Cocker spaniel, Corgi, Deerhound, English setter, Field spaniel, Flat-coated retriever, French bulldog, German shepherd, German shorthaired pointer, Giant schnauzer, Golden retriever, Gordon setter, Great Pyrenees, Irish setter, Irish water spaniel, Irish wolfhound, Italian spinone, Keeshond, Labrador retriever, Leonberger, Newfoundland, Norwegian elkhound, Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever, Old English sheepdog, Petit basset griffon vendeen, Rhodesian ridgeback, Rottweiler, Saluki, Scottish terrier, Shetland sheepdog, Siberian husky, Springer spaniel, Staffordshire bull terrier, Standard poodle, Tibetan terrier, Viszla, Welsh terrier, West highland white terrier
Completion of canine cancer vaccination clinical trial
June 11, 2024
By Sydney Yankowicz, Assistant Editor
News
Article
Calviri has gathered results from its 5-year study, revealing positive outcomes for cancer prevention
Calviri is developing a preventive cancer vaccine for dogs, aiming to stop oncologic disease before it starts. The company has previously announced positive results from the ongoing Vaccine Against Canine Cancer Study (VACCS), which involves 804 dogs from owners. Calviri has now announced the completion of this clinical trial in a news release.1
After 15 years of preclinical work in mice, Calviri developed a vaccine for testing in dogs. Stephen Albert Johnston, PhD, CEO of Calviri and principal investigator of VACCS, discovered these unique protein fragments that arise from errors during tumor RNA processing, and that they are present across multiple cancer types. The VACCS vaccine consisted of 31 of these shared neoantigens, allowing for a broad-spectrum approach to cancer prevention.1 In a previous interview with dvm360, Johnston said, “The vaccine also seems to be substantially reducing the non-tumor deaths. So, deaths from heart disease, arthritis, metabolic diseases, dementia, all of the deaths from those things seem to be being reduced.”
The preliminary safety and efficacy results are very promising for this cancer vaccination, however, the primary efficacy data from the trial, particularly regarding its impact on cancer incidence, is still under analysis and will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.1
Johnston stated in the release, "The safety and efficacy results are encouraging enough that we have begun production of an improved version of the vaccine for approval and conditional sales.''1
The 5-year clinical trial had 3 clinical sites: Colorado State University (CSU), College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in Fort Collins; University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine; and University of Wisconsin–Madison, School of Veterinary Medicine and was funded by a $6.4 million grant from the Open Philanthropy Project and Calviri Inc.2
Douglas Thamm, VMD, DACVIM (Oncology), professor of oncology at CSU and was a principal clinical investigator for the CSU testing site and said, "The owner participation was amazing. This was one of the largest clinical trials for dogs and it required significant commitment on the part of the owners. The owners made the trial a success."1
"The motivation of many of the dog owners was that this trial would lead to developing a vaccine to prevent cancer in humans. We all hope they are right" stated Jenna Burton, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Oncology), associate professor at CSU and co-principal investigator for the CSU testing site.1
With positive outlooks for veterinary medicine and canine cancer prevention, Calviri is aiming to extend its research to human medicine.1,2 "The VACCs team has done an amazing job" said Heather Youngs, senior program officer at Open Philanthropy. "We are so pleased with the progress on this trial and the potential of this technology to save many animal (and potentially human) lives in the future."1
References
Calviri announces completion of groundbreaking preventative canine cancer vaccine trial. News release. Calviri Inc. June 3, 2024. Accessed June 10, 2024. https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/calviri-announces-completion-of-groundbreaking-preventative-canine-cancer-vaccine-trial-302161183.html
Yankowicz S. Striving to end canine cancer with vaccinations. dvm360. August 23, 2023. Accessed June 11, 2024. https://www.dvm360.com/view/striving-to-end-canine-cancer-with-vaccinations