RhoVac has announced that Mount Sinai hospital in New York is being initiated as the latest addition to US trial centres in the company’s clinical phase IIb study, “BRaVac”, in prostate cancer.

The participation of Mount Sinai was directly caused by the FDA approval of RhoVac’s Fast Track Designation. Immediately after the news on the Fast Track Designation was made public, Mount Sinai contacted RhoVac via its Scientific Advisory Board member, Professor Per-Anders Abrahamsson, who brokered the connection to RhoVac management, states the company in a press release. “It is an honor for RhoVac, and a recognition of the potential of its drug candidate, that such a world leading hospital spontaneously seeks to join its clinical trial,” stated the company.

The Phase IIb trial

In the trial, RhoVac’s drug candidate, RV001, will be used in prostate cancer patients that have previously had a prostatectomy or definitive radiation therapy, but that now have suffered a “Biochemical Recurrence” (rising PSA) but who still have not developed detectable metastases.

The objective of the development of RV001 is to prevent/delay the recurrence of cancer and its progression to a metastatic state. If a clinical proof of concept is obtained in prostate cancer, several other cancer indications would also be candidates for development.

“I was of course of course delighted when I learned that Mount Sinai wanted to join our study back in November. I regard this as yet another example of the recognition that the Fast Track Designation has brought us already, and I am happy that we could get started so quickly. I wish Mount Sinai welcome on board the trial team, and I look forward to our collaboration,” says RhoVac CEO, Anders Månsson.

Photo of Mt. Sinai Medical Center From Central Park, NY, 7 December 2013/ Wikipedia