Combination treatment of pancreatic cancer

Abstract

A combination for use in the treatment of pancreatic cancer comprising: (i) an anti-gastrin effective immunogenic composition; and, (ii) one or more chemotherapeutic agents suitable for inhibiting cancer growth.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A combination for use in the treatment of pancreatic cancer comprising: 
 (i) an anti-gastrin effective immunogenic composition; and,    (ii) one or more chemotherapeutic agents suitable for inhibiting cancer growth.    
     
     
         2 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the anti-gastrin effective immunogenic composition is selected from immunogens comprising an epitope of the gastrin peptide G17 covalently linked through a spacer peptide to an immunogenic protein or fragment thereof.  
     
     
         3 . The combination of  claim 1 , which further comprises an anti-CCKB/gastrin receptor peptide GRE1 or peptide GRE4 effective immunogenic composition.  
     
     
         4 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein one more chemotherapeutic agent is selected from the group consisting of docetaxel, leucovorin/5-fluorouracil, gemcitabine, cisplatin and irinotecan.  
     
     
         5 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the effective immunogenic composition comprises a conjugate of the aminoterminal G17 peptide epitope covalently linked to a seven-amino acid/peptide spacer which is attached to an ε-amino acid of the side chain of the immunogenic carrier protein lysine residue.  
     
     
         6 . The combination of  claim 3 , wherein the effective immunogenic composition comprises a conjugate of the aminoterminal CCK-B/gastric receptor peptide which is attached to an ε-amino acid side chain of the immunogenic carrier protein lysine residue.  
     
     
         7 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the immunogenic composition is formulated in a water-in-oil emulsion suitable for intramuscular injection.  
     
     
         8 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the immunogenic composition ranges from 10 μg to 5000 μg of the immunogen per dose.  
     
     
         9 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the chemotherapeutic agent is gemcitabine at a dose ranging from 500-1400 mg/m 2  weekly for 3 weeks, every 28 days.  
     
     
         10 . The combination of  claim 1  or  6  wherein the immunogenic composition is about 250 μg to 500 μg per dose.  
     
     
         11 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the chemotherapeutic agent is irinotecan.  
     
     
         12 . A combination for use in the treatment of pancreatic cancer comprising: 
 (i) an anti-gastrin and/or anti-gastrin receptor effective immunological agent which can be monoclonal antibody or polyclonal antibodies derived from antisera produced in a patient by immunization with an anti-gastrin immunogenic composition; and    (ii) one or more chemotherapeutic agents suitable for inhibiting cancer growth.    
     
     
         13 . The combination as claimed in claims  1  or  12 , wherein the treatment prevents cancer cell metastasis.  
     
     
         14 . A method for treating pancreatic cancer comprising administering a gastrin-immunoneutralizing immunogenic composition; and administering a pharmaceutical composition of one or more chemotherapeutic agent effective for inhibiting cancer growth.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the immunogenic composition comprising an immunogen directed to eliciting neutralizing antibodies against gastrin G17, Gly-G17, CCK-B/gastrin receptor peptide GRE1 or GRE4.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein one or more chemotherapeutic agent is selected from a group consisting of docetaxel, leucovorin/5-fluorouracil, gemcitabine, cisplatin and irinotecan.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the chemotherapeutic agent is gemcitabine.