Patent ID: 8642274

Claim:
A method of therapy for mammalian subjects having a tumor expressing 5T4, and that have received a first vaccination and a second vaccination of an immunotherapy that comprises a modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) viral vector containing a polynucleotide encoding 5T4 antigen, wherein the viral vector is capable of transducing cells in the mammalian subject to cause the cells to express the 5T4 antigen, the method comprising: (a) evaluating the subjects after the second vaccination and before any third vaccination by (i) measuring, from a biological sample isolated from the subjects, an antibody response of the subject to the 5T4 antigen and comparing the antibody response of the subjects to the 5T4 antigen to a reference measurement of antibody response to the 5T4 antigen; and (ii) measuring, from a biological sample isolated from the subjects, an antibody response of the subject to the viral vector and comparing the antibody response of the subjects to the viral vector to a reference measurement of antibody response to the viral vector; and (b) continuing the immunotherapy in a subject having an elevated antibody response to the 5T4 antigen and a reduced antibody response to the viral vector with at least a third vaccination of the immunotherapy; and discontinuing the immunotherapy and administering a secondary therapy to a subject lacking the elevated antibody response to the antigen or lacking the reduced antibody response to the viral vector, wherein the secondary therapy is selected from the group consisting of a chemotherapy, a radiotherapy, and a surgical therapy.