PhotonPharma gets FDA nod for ovarian cancer drug trial

FORT COLLINS — PhotonPharma Inc., which specializes in tumor-specific immune therapies, received clearance this week from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to launch the first phase of clinical study for the treatment of stage III/IV ovarian cancer with Innocell, the Fort Collins company’s investigational autologous cell-based vaccine therapy.

“This therapeutic approach employs inactivated tumor cells, prepared by a proprietary process based on UV light and riboflavin, after isolation of the cells from a patient’s tumor.  These inactivated cells are used in a treatment designed to recruit the patient’s own immune system to fight the cancer,” PhotonPharma said in a news release.

The vaccine therapy used in the study will be manufactured at the City of Hope Cancer Care center in Los Angeles. 

“We are thrilled to have reached this pivotal moment in our journey toward providing a novel treatment option for patients facing advanced ovarian cancer,” PhotonPharma CEO Alan Rudolph said in the release. “This milestone speaks to the dedication and expertise of our team, as well as the potential of Innocell to make a meaningful impact in oncology.”

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