Combination immunotherapy compositions against cancer and methods

1. A method to reduce tumor burden or inhibit tumor growth and/or to induce a therapeutic immune response against carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in an individual, comprising administering two immunotherapy compositions within one dosing of the individual in order to prime the immune system with each of the compositions, the two immunotherapy compositions comprising:

a) a first immunotherapy composition comprising a recombinant vaccinia virus comprising nucleic acid sequences encoding costimulatory molecules B7-1, ICAM-1 and LFA-3, and nucleic acid sequences encoding CEA or an immunogenic domain thereof; and

b) a second immunotherapy composition comprising a whole inactivated yeast that has recombinantly expressed, prior to administration, CEA or an immunogenic domain thereof;

wherein the administration of the first and second immunotherapy compositions reduces tumor burden or inhibits tumor growth in the individual and/or induces a therapeutic immune response against CEA in the individual.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second immunotherapy compositions are administered to different sites in the individual.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising boosting the individual with one or both of the immunotherapy compositions.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising boosting the individual with a third immunotherapy composition comprising a recombinant virus comprising the virus genome or portions thereof that is different from the first immunotherapy composition.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the CEA comprises a CAP1-6D epitope.

6. A kit comprising the following immunotherapy compositions:

a. a first immunotherapy composition comprising a recombinant vaccinia virus comprising nucleic acid sequences encoding costimulatory molecules B7-1, ICAM-1 and LFA-3 and nucleic acid sequences encoding human carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) or an immunogenic domain thereof; and a second immunotherapy composition comprising whole inactivated yeast that has recombinantly expressed human CEA or an immunogenic domain thereof.

7. The kit of claim 6 , further comprising a third immunotherapy composition comprising a recombinant fowlpox virus comprising nucleic acid sequences encoding B7-1, ICAM-1 and LFA-3 or biologically active portions thereof, and a nucleic acid sequence encoding the at least one cancer antigen or immunogenic domain thereof.

8. The kit of claim 7 , wherein the first, third, or both the first and third, immunotherapy composition further comprises granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF).

9. The kit of claim 8 , wherein the GM-CSF is provided by a recombinant fowlpox virus encoding GM-CSF.

10. The kit of claim 6 , wherein the vaccinia virus in the first immunotherapy composition is from modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) or vaccinia-Wyeth strain.

11. The kit of claim 6 , wherein the whole inactivated yeast in the second immunotherapy composition is a whole, heat-killed yeast.

12. The kit of claim 6 , wherein the whole inactivated yeast in the second immunotherapy composition is from Saccharomyces.

13. The kit of claim 6 , wherein the cancer antigen is carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA).

14. The kit of claim 13 , wherein the CEA comprises a CAP1-6D epitope.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, at least one week after the administration of the first and second immunotherapy compositions, administering to the individual:

a. a third immunotherapy composition comprising a recombinant fowlpox virus comprising nucleic acid sequences encoding B7-1, ICAM-1 and LFA-3 or biologically active portions thereof, and a nucleic acid sequence encoding the at least one cancer antigen or immunogenic domain thereof; and

b. the second immunotherapy composition comprising the whole inactivated yeast that has recombinantly expressed, prior to administration, the at least one cancer antigen or immunogenic domain thereof;

wherein the second and third immunotherapy compositions are both administered to the individual within one dosing period.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first, third, or both the first and third, immunotherapy composition further comprises granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF).

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the GM-CSF is provided by a recombinant fowlpox virus encoding GM-CSF.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the individual is further treated with chemotherapy and/or with radiation therapy.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vaccinia virus in the first immunotherapy composition is from modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) or vaccinia-Wyeth strain.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the whole inactivated yeast in the second immunotherapy composition is a whole, heat-killed yeast.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the whole inactivated yeast in the second immunotherapy composition is from Saccharomyces.

22. The method of claim 1 , wherein the CEA is human CEA.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the human CEA is full-length human CEA.

24. The method of claim 3 , wherein boosting the individual is with both immunotherapy compositions.

25. A method to reduce tumor burden or inhibit tumor growth and/or to induce a therapeutic immune response against human carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in an individual, comprising:

a. administering two immunotherapy compositions within one dosing of the individual in order to prime the immune system with each of the compositions, the two immunotherapy compositions comprising:

(i) a first immunotherapy composition comprising rV/F-CEA/TRICOM; and

(ii) a second immunotherapy composition comprising a whole inactivated yeast that has recombinantly expressed, prior to administration, human CEA; and

b. administering boosters of the two immunotherapy compositions;

wherein the administration of the first and second immunotherapy compositions reduces tumor burden or inhibits tumor growth in the individual and/or induces a therapeutic immune response against one or more cancer antigens in the individual.