Fully synthetic carbohydrate-based vaccines in biochemically relapsed prostate cancer: clinical trial results with alpha-N-acetylgalactosamine-O-serine/threonine conjugate vaccine.

PURPOSE: We report the synthesis of a mucin-related O-linked glycopeptide, alpha-N-acetylgalactosamine-O-serine/threonine (Tn), which is highly simplistic in its structure and can induce a relevant humoral response when given in a trimer or clustered (c) formation. We tested for an antitumor effect, in the form of a change in the posttreatment versus pretreatment prostate-specific antigen (PSA) slopes, that might serve as a surrogate for effectiveness of vaccines in delaying the time to radiographic progression. METHODS: We compared the antibody response to immunization with two conjugates, Tn(c)-keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) and Tn(c)-palmitic acid (PAM) with the saponin immunologic adjuvant QS21, in a phase I clinical trial in patients with biochemically relapsed prostate cancer. Patients received Tn(c)-KLH vaccine containing either 3, 7, or 15 microg of Tn(c) per vaccination. Ten patients received 100 microg of Tn(c)-PAM. QS21 was included in all vaccines. Five vaccinations were administered subcutaneously during 26 weeks with an additional booster vaccine at week 50. RESULTS: Tn(c), when given with the carrier molecule KLH and QS21, stimulated the production of high-titer immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG antibodies. Inferior antibody responses were seen with T(c)-PAM. There was no evidence of enhanced immunogenicity with increasing doses of vaccine. An antitumor effect in the form of a decline in posttreatment versus pretreatment PSA slopes was also observed. CONCLUSION: A safe synthetic conjugate vaccine in a trimer formation was developed that can break immunologic tolerance by inducing specific humoral responses. It seemed to affect the biochemical progression of the disease as determined by a change in PSA log slope.