Round 1 Cycle 1

Today officially ended Round 1 of Cycle 1 of OBI-888. For those of you wanting to know more about exactly what OBI-888 is, here is an official description.

“A first in class monoclonal antibody cancer immunotherapy, OBI-888 targets Globo H, a glycolipid antigen expressed in up to 15 epithelial cancers.  Enrollment of patients suffering with locally advanced or metastatic solid tumours, including pancreatic, esophageal, gastric, breast, lung and colorectal cancers for the Phase 1 study of OBI-888 has commenced at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.”

Tim is eligible for 13 28-day cycles.  The first cycle requires more visits than subsequent cycles, so we hope to get into a routine before long.  

He spent more time at MDA than he did at home.  After getting the news Monday that he needed further testing, his coordinator worked quickly to get everything scheduled.  He went back Wednesday for more bloodwork and another CT scan.  He then saw a doctor on Thursday and was given the go ahead to start on Friday.  

We left early Friday morning and checked into the CTRC at 8:00 am.  After getting settled in Room 11, two nurses spent 45 minutes trying to get a cannula into his arm for the many blood draws that would happen throughout the next 12 hours.  After Tim practically squeezed my fingers off, they decided he has too much scar tissue in his veins for a cannula to advance.  Luckily the doctor approved for them to switch and give him the OBI-888 through an IV and use his port for the blood draws.  

Next was an EKG and the first five vials of many throughout the day.  His nurse Elie started the infusion at 10:55 and it lasted exactly 90 minutes.  There was another blood draw when it finished, another one hour after, another four hours after, and another eight hours after.  Tim initially tolerated the infusion, but within a couple of hours he broke out in chills, shivering uncontrollably, and spiked a fever.  This was the most common side effect we were warned about and all of the nurses were prepared and reacted immediately.  

After getting his temp down, and the final blood draw of the day, we were released at just after 8:30.  Because he had to be back early the next morning got his 24 hour PK draw, we opted to stay at the Rotary House so that we could just walk back over. Round 1 was officially completed when we went back for his 72 hour PK this morning.  

Each 28 day cycle is made up of 4 infusions on Days 1, 8, 15, and 22.  They are working to get his infusions on Wednesdays so that he can see Coopers football games on Tuesdays, so they are shortening the rounds by one day this week and next.  His next infusion will be this Thursday and then he’ll go back next Wednesday for a check up and his third infusion.  

We don’t expect to get any updates until after Cycle 2 at the earliest.  Until then we continue to hold out HOPE for this to be our MIRACLE. Pray with us without doubt, as not to be tossed and blown like a wave of the sea.