Pancreatic cancer mRNA vaccine shows lasting results in an early trial

10 hours ago

Donna Gustafson was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer while traveling in Australia and became the first person to receive a personalized mRNA vaccine for pancreatic cancer in a clinical trial.
Personalized mRNA vaccines for pancreatic cancer are a form of immunotherapy that uses genetic material from a patient's tumor to train the immune system to target lingering cancer cells and prevent recurrence.
In a Phase 1 trial with 16 patients, eight responded to the vaccine by producing T cells, with Gustafson and six other responders still alive after six years, showing a potential link between immune response and longer survival.
Pancreatic cancer is difficult to treat due to late detection and limited treatment options, with only about 20% of cases operable and a five-year survival rate of less than 13%.
Researchers found that both 'killer T cells' and 'helper T cells' may work together to create a durable immune response, with the vaccine's effectiveness shifting focus to early-stage cancer rather than advanced cases.
A larger Phase 2 trial has been launched by Genentech and BioNTech, while other approaches, such as an off-the-shelf vaccine targeting the KRAS protein, are also being explored for pancreatic cancer immunotherapy.

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