Combination Immunotherapy With Herceptin and the HER2 Vaccine NeuVax

Herceptin will be administered to patients every three weeks as monotherapy for one year, to be given upon completion of standard of care chemotherapy/radiotherapy. The first Herceptin infusion will be given no sooner than three weeks and no later than 12 weeks after completion of chemotherapy/radiotherapy. Herceptin will be dosed at the recommended initial loading dose of 8 mg/kg and at recommended maintenance doses of 6 mg/kg q3wk.

At the time of vaccine administration, a frozen solution of E75 acetate (1.5mg/ml) is thawed and 1000mcg E75 peptide mixed thoroughly with 250mcg GM-CSF. This constitutes the NeuVax vaccine. For patients randomized to the Herceptin + NeuVax vaccine arm, they will commence Herceptin monotherapy and then will begin the NeuVax vaccine series immediately after completion of the third Herceptin infusion. The vaccine series consists of NeuVax vaccine administered intradermally every three weeks for six total vaccinations, 30-120 minutes after completion of Herceptin infusion.

For patients randomized to the Herceptin + GM-CSF only arm, they will commence Herceptin monotherapy and then will begin the GM-CSF inoculation series immediately after completion of the third Herceptin infusion. The GM-CSF inoculation series consists of 250mcg GM-CSF administered intradermally every three weeks for six total vaccinations, 30-120 minutes after completion of Herceptin infusion.