Biotechnology company launches cancer vaccine trial for dogs

Photo: New Africa/Adobe Stock

A new vaccine trial for canines with early stage hemangiosarcoma (HSA) is underway. Calviri, a biotechnology company that creates therapeutic and preventative cancer vaccines for dogs and humans, announced it has vaccinated its first participant with its investigational immunotherapy vaccine.¹

The study, titled the Scout Out Canine Hemangiosarcoma (SOCH), aims to explore whether Calviri's “pre-made” vaccine can lengthen the lifespan of dogs with stage 1 or stage 2 tumors when paired with standard care treatment like surgery and chemotherapy. The vaccine’s objective is to activate the immune system to identify and destroy cancer cells.²

When used with checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy, personalized cancer vaccines are have shown potential for humans. However, for use in dogs, the process of crafting these vaccines to match specific mutations in tumor DNA can be impractical and too costly, according to Calviri.¹

Calviri found an alternative source of neoantigens derived from tumor RNA variants. These neoantigens, taken from RNA errors, are shared across patients and tumor types. As a result, Calviri is able to create “off-the-shelf” vaccines for tumor treatment. According to a news release, a recent clinical trial evaluated a preventative cancer vaccine formulated from similar neoantigens in dogs.¹

The new vaccine differentiates itself from other cancer vaccines, which are generally used to treat advanced-stage tumors in humans and dogs. The SOCH trial is set to be the first to target early-stage tumors, aiming to improve survival rates by treating these smaller, less advanced tumors.¹

"HSA is very aggressive. If this vaccine approach proves effective for HSA, there is a good chance it will work for other tumors," Douglas Thamm, VMD, director of clinical research at Colorado State University's (CSU) Flint Animal Cancer Center, and lead of the trial at CSU, said in a news release.¹

In dogs, HSA is prevalent, particularly among golden retrievers, German shepherds, labrador retrievers, boxers, pit bulls, and dogs with thin hair coats like Greyhounds, beagles, and dalmatians.^1,3 HSA usually begins in the spleen and has the potential to metastasize to other areas.¹

HSA tumors consist of abnormal blood cells and fragile blood vessels that are invasive and prone to rupture. When these tumors rupture, they bleed into body cavities such as the chest or abdomen, leading to many of the clinical symptoms linked to this disease.³ Although HSA is generally diagnosed at more advanced stages, even early detection typically results in a life expectancy of 5 to 11 months.¹

Typical treatment includes surgical removal of the cancerous spleen and chemotherapy.¹ Additional treatment consists of anti-bleeding medications, bioactive extracts from mushrooms, anti-arrhythmic drugs, blood transfusions, and procedures to remove fluid from around the heart or in the chest or abdomen.³

"HSA is a devastating diagnosis for dogs. We are hopeful that this unique vaccine will improve the prognosis,” David Vail, DVM, MS, DACVIM (oncology), and clinical principal investigator for the study, said in the release.¹

Dogs will be enrolled in the study at the academic veterinary oncology institutions at the University of Wisconsin, Colorado State University, and the University of California-Davis. Participants will be randomly assigned to either a group receiving a placebo vaccine or one receiving the investigational vaccine. Both groups will also receive standard treatment, which consists of surgery and chemotherapy, along with their assigned vaccine. The study is expected to continue for two years, with a goal of enrolling up to 80 dogs.

Participants will be randomly placed into either a control group that receives a placebo vaccine or a test group that receives the investigational vaccine. All dogs, regardless of group, will receive standard care, comprising of surgery and chemotherapy, along with the mock or investigational vaccine. The study is anticipated to run for 2 years and will enroll up to 80 dogs, according to the release.¹

Sami Al-Nadaf, DVM, trial director at UC-Davis Veterinary Medicine, invited veterinarians and dog owners who are interested to email oncclinicaltrials@vetmed.wisc.edu for further details.

“The faster we can enroll dogs, the sooner we will find out if the vaccine can help those diagnosed with HSA," he said in the release.¹

Funding for the trial comes from Calviri and a donation from David MacNeil in remembrance of his golden retriever Scout, famous for featuring in multiple Super Bowl commercials.¹

References

1. Calviri initiates trial of therapeutic vaccine for early-stage hemangiosarcoma cancer in dogs. News release. Calviri, Inc. September 30, 2024. Accessed October 2, 2024. https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/calviri-initiates-trial-of-therapeutic-vaccine-for-early-stage-hemangiosarcoma-cancer-in-dogs-302261734.html
2. Clinical studies in oncology. University of Wisconsin-Madison Veterinary Care. September 5, 2024. Accessed October 2, 2024. https://uwveterinarycare.wisc.edu/veterinary-clinical-studies/oncology/
3. Jones L. Hemangiosarcoma in dogs. PetMD. June 13, 2022. Accessed October 2, 2024. https://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/cancer/hemangiosarcoma-dogs