Method for treatment of malignant and infectious chronic diseases

摘要

The present invention relates to methods of treatment useful in chronic diseases, by means of breaking tolerance to self-antigens and increasing autoimmune response against these antigens. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods useful in the treatment of tumors that are growth dependent on the Epidermal Growth Factor. The present invention provides a therapeutic combination that includes the combination of a vaccine against self antigens with a monoclonal antibody against peripheral T cells or a chemotherapeutic drug able to induce a depletion of peripheral T cells. The present invention also provides a method of treatment of chronic diseases in which the rupture of the tolerance to self antigens is essential for the control of the disease, by administering an immune suppressor agent between two cycles of vaccination against a self antigen, for example EGF, for effective treatment for the reduction of tumors whose growth depends on EGF.