Pancreatic cancer mRNA vaccine shows lasting results in an early trial

9 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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