Immunotherapeutic combinations for the treatment of tumours that overexpress gangliosides

Abstract

The present invention is related to the field of immunology and more specifically with immunotherapeutic combinations used for controlling growth and/or cell proliferation of tumors. By means of the present invention a therapeutic effect against tumors is observed by the combination of idiotypic vaccines whose principle active is an anti-ganglioside antibody (Ab1), with idiotypic vaccines whose principle active is anti-idiotype antibody (Ab2) obtained against an anti-ganglioside antibody, or vaccines whose principle active is one or more gangliosides. Combinations of these vaccines are described that cause a synergic therapeutic effect against tumors. The referred combinations can be applied to patients in different clinical conditions of tumors that express gangliósidos.

1 . An immunotherapeutic combination for the immunotherapy of tumors that over-express gangliosides, comprising at least two of the following components: 
 (A) An idiotypic vaccine comprising a murine anti-ganglioside monoclonal antibody (Ab1);    (B) An idiotypic vaccine comprising an specific murine anti-idiotype monoclonal antibody (Ab2), against an anti-ganglioside monoclonal antibody;    (C) A ganglioside vaccine.    
     
     
         2 . An immunotherapeutic combination according to  claim 1 , wherein said combination comprises A plus B or A plus C or B plus C.  
     
     
         3 . An immunotherapeutic combination according to  claim 1 , wherein said vaccine A comprises the murine anti-ganglioside MAb P3 (Deposit Number ECACC 94113026).  
     
     
         4 . An immunotherapeutic combination according to  claim 1 , wherein said vaccine B comprises the murine anti-idiotype antibody 1E10 (Deposit Number ECACC 97112901).  
     
     
         5 . An immunotherapeutic combination according to  claim 1 , wherein said vaccine C comprises the NeuGcGM3 ganglioside.  
     
     
         6 . Immunotherapeutic combination according to  claim 1 , wherein said vaccine C comprises the NeuAcGM3 ganglioside.  
     
     
         7 . Immunotherapeutic combination according to claims  1 , wherein A and B or A and C or B and C are administered simultaneously or alternately.  
     
     
         8 . Use of any of the immunotherapeutic combinations of the  claim 1  for the treatment of tumors that over-express gangliosides.  
     
     
         9 . Use according to  claim 8 , for treatment of tumor of breast, lung, digestive system, urogenital system, melanomas, sarcomas and those from neuroectodermic tissues.  
     
     
         10 . A method for controlling growth and/or cell proliferation of tumors that over-express gangliosides, comprising the administration to a mammal of an immunotherapeutic combination of  claim 7 .  
     
     
         11 . Method according to  claim 10 , wherein said mammals are human.