Peptide Targets for Glioblastoma Against Novel Cytomegalovirus Antigens

Newly diagnosed glioblastoma (GBM) patients with complete or partial surgical resection who were CMV seropositive patients were eligible to enroll on this trial. Patients were enrolled following standard of care chemoradiation and prior to initiation of post-radiation cycles of temozolomide (TMZ) provided they met all eligibility criteria. All eligible patients received a tetanus-diphtheria (Td) vaccination. Patients enrolled on study were randomized to receive either standard TMZ or dose-intensified TMZ (excluding the safety cohort who only received standard TMZ). All patients received a pre-conditioning injection of tetanus on day 22 of the first post-radiation cycle of TMZ. The following day, patients received the first of 3 intradermal (i.d.) injections of the study drug cytomegalovirus peptide (PEP-CMV), which contained either a combination of Component A and Component B or Component A only depending upon when they enrolled on study. Vaccines #2 and #3 will be given at 2 week intervals. Patients who were O\[6\]-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) unmethylated received one adjuvant cycle of the TMZ regimen according to their assigned TMZ arm. Patients who were MGMT methylated or whose methylation status was inconclusive continue with up to 12 cycles of TMZ. After the completion of a patient's last TMZ cycle, vaccines continued every 4-6 weeks for a maximum number of 20 vaccines (unless tumor progression occurred). The study ended prematurely due to lack of funds. The preliminary results suggest that the vaccine may be capable of generating an immune response.