Activartis has received European orphan drug designation for a cancer immune therapy, AV0113, for use in the treatment of glioma.
AV0113, which was developed against every type of cancer, is based on a procedure where the immune system will be prepared to combat tumour thereby controlling the growth.
Activartis CEO Thomas Felzmann said, "We are convinced that this approach has great potential and now an independent party, the European Medicines Agency, has confirmed this. However, it will still take another year or so before robust evidence for a benefit of AV0113 for patient's suffering from Glioblastoma will become available."
The medication works by activating dendritic cells and immune system of the patient to identify tumour cells.
Activartis' AV0113 technology exposes tumour antigen-charged dendritic cells to one of either lipopolysaccharides or the bacterial endotoxins.
Dendritic cell thereby takes on a potently immune stimulatory and pro-inflammatory mode of action. When the dendritic cells return to the patient, they activate tumour-specific T-cells, such as Cytotoxic T-cells, which recognises and destroys tumour cells.
