Controlled IL-12 platform from Ziopharm is an investigational gene therapy designed to control and induce human interleukin 12 production

Ziopharm Oncology Inc, a company that focuses on developing cell therapies and immune-oncology gene, recently announced that they have completed enrolling for third cohort of Phase 1 clinical study to evaluate Controlled IL-12 combined with the PD-1 inhibitor OPDIVO (nivolumab) to treat progressive or recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (rGBM) in adult subjects.

Investigators who will conduct this multi-central trial at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer in Houston, Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and Northwestern university in Chicago, have expressed their interest in expanding the study. Based on the final agreement done by the Data and Safety Monitoring Board, the company expects to enroll more patients for the highest dosing level.

Ziopharm’s Chief Executive, Laurence Cooper M.D., Ph.D., said that the company has completed the enrollment of the escalated dose: Ad-RTS-hIL-12+ veledimex along with nivolumab and further explored the potential for the expansion of this combination trial which can enhance their clinical experience.

There is a clear enthusiasm to combine PD-1 inhibitors with IL-12 in the ongoing study and the company is looking forward to starting a phase 2 trial that includes Ad-RTS-Hil-12 + veledimex as well as cemiplimab in the future, Cooper informed.

Citing reliable sources, the Controlled IL-12 platform of Ziopharm is reportedly an investigational gene therapy that is designed to specifically control and induce the human interleukin 12 production, the immune system’s master-regulator. Set in the rGBM, the company has reportedly leveraged anti-tumor effects as monotherapy for Controlled IL-12 with the combination of PD-1 inhibitors.

Apparently, there was a report previously that had a data of patients suffering from serial biopsies with rGBM, which showed that Controlled IL-12 results in upregulation of PD-1 expression and sustained influx of T cells, all of which provides an intriguing rationale for the combination.

Seemingly, it is anticipated that Ziopharm shall report more data from the combination trial at medical meetings this year and into the next.

Source Credits- https://ir.ziopharm.com/news-releases/news-release-details/ziopharm-oncology-completes-enrollment-controlled-il-12-plus