Hasty Briefsbeta

One-size-fits-all pancreatic cancer vaccine showed promise in early trial

13 days ago
  • #KRAS-mutation
  • #pancreatic-cancer
  • #cancer-vaccine
  • A one-size-fits-all vaccine shows promise in preventing pancreatic cancer recurrence.
  • Pancreatic cancer has a low five-year survival rate (13%) and high recurrence rate (80%).
  • The vaccine targets KRAS gene mutations, common in many cancers including pancreatic and colorectal.
  • Unlike personalized vaccines, this one is off-the-shelf and doesn't require tumor sequencing.
  • Phase 1 trial involved 25 patients (20 pancreatic, 5 colorectal) with KRAS mutations.
  • 85% of participants mounted an immune response, with some showing robust responses.
  • The vaccine triggered immune responses beyond KRAS mutations in nearly 70% of participants.
  • Average survival post-vaccination was 29 months, with 15+ months recurrence-free.
  • The vaccine uses lipophilic peptides with a tail that activates immune cells in lymph nodes.
  • Phase 2 trials are underway to test durability and compare effectiveness to standard care.