Thursday 8 October 2015

DCVax

Dear friends,
If the DCVax is available at presentation, would this be a favoured option (in addition to standard chemoradiotherapy).  Some are suggesting waiting until relapse, though I don't see the point of waiting.
Thanks for your thoughts
Matthew.

7 comments:

  1. Immunotherapy has the best chance of working with minimal tumor burden. An actively growing tumor is actively putting out immunosuppressive cytokines which limit the effectiveness of immunotherapy. I don't see the point of waiting either.

    However the availability of the DCVax (Northwest Biotherapeutics version of a tumor lysate-pulsed dendritic cell vaccine) is limited to the phase 3 trial (recruiting only in the USA, Canada, Germany and the UK) and to people who are able to travel to Germany or pay for it themselves ($100,000+). You may be able to get similar vaccines made elsewhere (though not going by the brand name "DCVax").

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  2. dcvax is the vaccine made from your tumor and made dendritic cell vaccine, so if you not have tumor frozed from last surgery, you can not made this?

    Melinda

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  3. Hello,

    I was in contact with people from NWBio (company which makes DCVax) and they told me it is not possible to get DCVax, unless you enter a trial. Hospital exemption in Germany is also closed at the moment.

    Anyone has experience with other vaccines? I found Hallwang clinic to have immunotherapy option - DC vaccines, checkpoint antibodies,...
    http://www.hallwang-clinic.com/your-oncological-journey-cancer-treatment/physicians-oncology.html

    Melinda - yes, DCVax is personalized vaccine from your own tumor lysate. If you don't have any you can still consider peptide vaccines which target antigens, associated with brain tumors. But as I read personalized vaccines are supposed to be more effective.

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  4. I read that DCVax is approved in Switzerland. I am wondering how much it costs there. Lets say if the patient has a tumor tissue in the bank can he just go to Switzerland and get the vaccine there. I am wondering how much would it cost.

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    1. Hi

      Do you have further informaiton about which hospital in Switzerland?

      Thanks

      Luyeza

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  5. Please see the answer regarding costs from Ms. Carol Powers (I guess she is reponsible for public/patient relations) at NWBio:

    DCVax-L is a labor intensive, custom-made vaccine based on the patient’s unique biomarkers, using the patient’s own dendritic cells. The vaccine is made in a "batch" manufacturing process, meaning the entire course of vaccine doses is manufactured at one time. In addition, DCVax-L must pass strict quality control standards before it can be released. The charges are as follows:


    Total cost €53,000 (Euros) for the Tumor Lysate, DCVax Production and first 3 injections
    • Deposit of €19,000 (Euros) due at time of Tumor Lysate production
    • Balance of €34,000 (Euros) due at time of Leukapheresis processing

    · Subsequent injections (injection 4 and following) cost €17,000 (Euros) each, due at the time of injection



    • Leukapheresis costs range from $3,500 to $5,000 depending on the apheresis center and if a central line is required

    · Initial consultation fee with UK physician £275 - £500 (British Pounds Sterling) * fees vary with the physician

    • Shipping fees for tumor tissue, lysate, and DCVax-L are variable based on location but can be in the range of $1,200 to $1,800 or more

    · VAT tax 20% - €10,600 (Euros) paid when the first three doses of vaccine are shipped

    · Subsequent doses cost €17,000 (Euros) each and the VAT tax is 20% - €3,400 (Euros) paid prior to administration of the vaccine

    • Physician’s charge for administering each dose of DCVax-L in the UK £1,125 - £1,500 * (British Pounds Sterling) * fees vary with the physician

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  6. DCVax Update

    http://www.nwbio.com/nw-bio-provides-update-about-phase-3-trial-of-dcvax-l-for-newly-diagnosed-glioblastoma-multiforme-brain-cancer/


    Mike B

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