USDA Agrees Clinical Trial Data for the ELIAS Cancer Immunotherapy (ECI®) Demonstrates Reasonable Expectation of Efficacy for the Treatment of Bone Cancer in Dogs

First-in-class adoptive cell therapy for treatment of osteosarcoma, a deadly form of bone cancer in dogs OLATHE, Kan., Jan. 17, 2024  /PRNewswire/ -- ELIAS Animal Health, a leading companion animal cancer therapeutics company, today announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture Center for Veterinary Biologics has determined that the data from the company’s ECI-OSA-04 pivotal combined safety and efficacy study demonstrated a reasonable expectation of efficacy, a critical milestone in the licensure pathway. Cancer is the leading cause of death in dogs over the age of two and represents a significant unmet medical need in veterinary medicine. This two-arm field safety and efficacy study (n=100) is one of the largest clinical trials conducted in canine cancer and the first of its kind to evaluate a state-of-the-art adoptive cell therapy as a treatment for cancer in dogs. The ELIAS Cancer Immunotherapy (ECI®) works by conditioning the immune system to recognize a patient’s [...]

Why We Use Cytotoxic T Cells to Attack Cancer

Artist interpretation: Cytotoxic T cells (blue) attack a cancer cell (orange). The immune system hosts an army of white blood cells dedicated to helping the body fight infections. One faction of this army includes T cells, a type of white blood cell that develops from stem cells in bone marrow. There are three main types of T cells that each play a different role in the highly-coordinated defense of the body against illness: Regulatory T cells modulate the immune response and prevent other immune cells from becoming overactive. Helper T cells help activate other immune cells once they detect evidence of a foreign invader, such as a virus or cancer.  Killer, or cytotoxic, T cells directly attack and destroy cells they recognize as being foreign. Over the past few decades, advancements in immunotherapy have come a long way, and it is now an important part of treating some [...]

By |2022-12-19T14:09:07-06:00December 19th, 2022|Categories: Blog|Tags: , , , , , |0 Comments

Three Ways Apheresis Is Used in Veterinary Medicine

What is Apheresis? Apheresis is a nonsurgical treatment where a patient’s blood is withdrawn from the body to separate plasma and cells and is often used to treat patients with autoimmune diseases, those suffering from blood intoxications—such as overdoses and poisonings—as well as cancer. In humans, apheresis is also the process by which donations of plasma, platelets and red blood cells are donated. These types of donations are different than a whole blood donation; apheresis is required to extract specific components of the blood and then return the remaining components to the donor. On Apheresis Awareness Day, ELIAS Animal Health recognizes and applauds apheresis practitioners around the world who are advancing this important therapy in both human and animal medicine. We also honor the many generous donors who help to save countless lives. Access to apheresis in veterinary medicine has more than doubled in the past 3 years, and [...]

By |2022-09-21T11:29:32-06:00September 19th, 2022|Categories: Blog|Tags: , , , |0 Comments

ELIAS Animal Health Research Demonstrates Cancer-Killing Capabilities of Its Activated T Cell Immunotherapy

In vitro study of the ELIAS Cancer Immunotherapy (ECI®) showed personalized T cell immunotherapy initiated a significant immune response against target cancer cells. OLATHE, Kan., August 10, 2022 -- ELIAS Animal Health recently presented new mechanism of action data for the ELIAS Cancer Immunotherapy (ECI®) at the 2022 American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Forum. ECI is an adoptive cell therapy that stimulates a patient’s immune system to recognize and attack cancers. ECI uses a personalized vaccine made from a patient’s own cancer cells to “prime” the immune cells to recognize the cancer. These primed immune cells—which are collected from the patient through a procedure called apheresis—are activated and expanded ex vivo for reinfusion into the patient, where they travel to the cancer cells and attack them. In vitro study demonstrates how vaccine-primed T cells mount an immune response against cancer cells [...]

Can We Treat Cancer Without Chemotherapy?

Cancer is the leading cause of death in dogs, and in humans it is second only to heart disease. For decades, chemotherapy has been the only option and a necessary evil to treat cancer. Most of us know someone who has gone through chemo, and side effects can significantly impact quality of life during and after treatment. Chemotherapy targets cells at different stages of the cell cycle, and because cancer cells often form more quickly than normal cells, chemo can be effective in destroying cells and preventing them from growing, dividing, and making more cells. Unfortunately, “chemo drugs can’t tell the difference between healthy cells and cancer cells. This means normal cells are damaged along with the cancer cells, and this causes side effects. Each time chemo is given, it means trying to find a balance between killing the cancer cells (in order to cure or control the disease) [...]

By |2022-07-19T20:11:01-06:00July 19th, 2022|Categories: Blog|Tags: , , , , |0 Comments

What Does the Future of Canine Cancer Treatment Look Like?

Immunotherapy is increasingly becoming an important tool in the oncologist’s arsenal to improve clinical outcomes for both human and veterinary patients alike. Studies have shown that immunotherapies can produce durable responses in some patients, both human and companion animals. The power of combining immuno-oncology approaches such as adoptive cell therapies, oncolytic viruses, and checkpoint inhibitors, among others, has the potential to significantly increase the number of patients that become long term survivors. The article, "The future of canine cancer treatment" discusses the research ELIAS Animal Health is doing to evaluate how to improve patient response rates with these combination approaches. Read the full article at Veterinary Practice News online.

By |2022-03-24T19:48:24-06:00March 16th, 2022|Categories: Blog|Tags: , , |0 Comments
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