Update on IMA901 Vaccine trial

Hi Everyone,

We got a great news this week that my husband is a candidate for IMA901 vaccine trial. The trial is in Phase III and they had great results in the first two phases. It is for patients with mRCC, who have a substance in their blood called HLA-A*02. It was the first milestone for my DH and only 30% chance that he has HLA-A*02,but it seems he is 100% match which gives him a great prognosis that the vaccine will work. It takes a long time to get the tests done since, the company developing the vaccine is in Germany and all blood work is sent there for testing. The medical trial is combination with IMA901 vaccine and sunitinib.We are having even bigger delays, because of our insurance refusing to cover required brain MRI and chest CT with contrast.After it's determined he doesn't have brain mets he will start on sunitinib and after they see in a month he is tolerating it well they will do the randomization to see if he gets in the group that receives the vaccine.It is 70% chance. So still a long way to go, and it's a little frustrating to have to deal with unhelpful insurance company, but his new oncologist is having pier to pier discussion with them and I hope they approve the tests soon. The oncologist is not very concerned about the delay, since my DH is asymptomatic and the cancer is slow progressing, but for us all the waiting and not starting treatment right away is a bit concerning. If you want more info on this trial here is a link : http://www.asco.org/ASCOv2/Meetings/Abstracts?&vmview=abst_detail_view&confID=102&abstractID=79519

Ena