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Journal of veterinary internal medicine2022; 36(3); 1179-1184; doi: 10.1111/jvim.16425

ALVAC-fIL2, a feline interleukin-2 immunomodulator, as a treatment for sarcoids in horses: A pilot study.

Abstract: Sarcoid tumors are common in horses and may negatively impact the performance and value of the horse. No known treatment is reliably successful. Objective: To determine tolerability, overall response rate, time to response, and progression-free survival of horses with biopsy-confirmed or suspected sarcoids treated with ALVAC-fIL2. Methods: Client-owned horses with measurable, presumed- or biopsy-confirmed sarcoid tumors. Methods: Prospective pilot study. One milliliter of ALVAC-fIL2 was injected into 4 to 5 areas of the sarcoid(s) in each horse (week 0); this treatment was repeated in weeks 1, 3, and 7. Sarcoids were measured at each visit, and response to treatment was determined according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors for dogs (v1.0). After the final treatment, horses were reassessed and sarcoids remeasured every 3 months until tumor progression or for a minimum of 1 year if progression was not documented. Results: Fourteen horses were included. Tumor size decreased in 86% of the horses, and the median time to first response was 89 days (range, 34-406 days). Median time to best response was 211 days (range, 56-406 days), but 3 of the sarcoids still were decreasing in size at the time of final evaluation. The median progression-free interval was not reached. Adverse events were minimal and included transient focal inflammation in 2 horses. Conclusions: Intratumoral injection of ALVAC-fIL2 has promise as a well-tolerated and effective, tissue-sparing treatment for horses with sarcoid tumors.
© 2022 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
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Publication Date: 2022-04-13 PubMed ID: 35416353PubMed Central: PMC9151478DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16425Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article explores the effectiveness of ALVAC-fIL2, a feline interleukin-2 immunomodulator, in treating sarcoid tumors in horses. The study found the treatment to be generally well-tolerated, with tumor size decreasing in a majority of cases.

Objective and Methods

  • The objective of this study was to determine the tolerability, overall response rate, time to response, and progression-free survival of horses with either presumed or biopsy-confirmed sarcoid tumors treated with ALVAC-fIL2.
  • The researchers conducted a prospective pilot study, using client-owned horses diagnosed with measurable sarcoid tumors.
  • The treatment involved injecting 1 milliliter of ALVAC-fIL2 into 4 to 5 areas of the sarcoid(s) in each horse. This process was repeated at varying intervals – at the start (week 0), and subsequently in the first, third, and seventh weeks.
  • The researchers measured the sarcoids in each horse at every visit and determined the response to treatment using the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors for dogs (version 1.0).
  • After the final treatment, the horses’ sarcoids were reassessed and remeasured every three months until there was evidence of tumor progression, or for a minimum of one year if no progression was documented.

Key Findings

  • Fourteen horses were included in the study. Of these, 86% exhibited a decrease in tumor size and the median time to first response was 89 days. The time taken ranged between minimum of 34 days to a maximum of 406 days.
  • The median time to observe the best response was 211 days, although 3 sarcoids were still shrinking at the time of the final evaluation.
  • The median progression-free interval was not reached, implying ongoing effectiveness of the treatment beyond the period of observation.
  • Adverse events were minimal. Only two horses experienced transient focal inflammation as a side effect.

Conclusion

  • The study concluded that the intratumoral injection of ALVAC-fIL2 has potential as a well-tolerated and effective treatment for horses with sarcoid tumors.
  • Aside from being effective, it’s also a tissue-sparing treatment, which can be advantageous in preserving the health and performance of the horse.

Cite This Article

APA
Saba C, Eggleston R, Parks A, Peroni J, Sjoberg E, Rice S, Tyma J, Williams J, Grosenbaugh D, Leard AT. (2022). ALVAC-fIL2, a feline interleukin-2 immunomodulator, as a treatment for sarcoids in horses: A pilot study. J Vet Intern Med, 36(3), 1179-1184. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.16425

Publication

Journal of veterinary internal medicine
ISSN: 1939-1676
NlmUniqueID: 8708660
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 36
Issue: 3
Pages: 1179-1184

Researcher Affiliations

Saba, Corey
  • Department of Large Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, Athens, Georgia, USA.
Eggleston, Randall
  • Department of Large Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, Athens, Georgia, USA.
Parks, Andrew
  • Department of Large Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, Athens, Georgia, USA.
Peroni, John
  • Department of Large Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, Athens, Georgia, USA.
Sjoberg, Eric
  • Maggie's Menagerie Veterinary Services, Ila, Georgia, USA.
Rice, Shelbe
  • Maggie's Menagerie Veterinary Services, Ila, Georgia, USA.
Tyma, Jesse
  • Department of Large Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, Athens, Georgia, USA.
Williams, Jarred
  • Department of Large Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, Athens, Georgia, USA.
Grosenbaugh, Deborah
  • Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health, Athens, Georgia, USA.
Leard, A Timothy
  • Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health, Athens, Georgia, USA.

MeSH Terms

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic
  • Animals
  • Horse Diseases / drug therapy
  • Horses
  • Immunologic Factors / therapeutic use
  • Interleukin-2
  • Pilot Projects
  • Prospective Studies
  • Sarcoidosis / drug therapy
  • Sarcoidosis / veterinary

Grant Funding

  • Boehringer Ingelheim

Conflict of Interest Statement

Drs Grosenbaugh and Leard were employed by Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health at the time this study was performed.

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Citations

This article has been cited 5 times.
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