Doctors have started trials of the world’s first personalized mRNA vaccine for melanoma. The world’s first personalized mRNA vaccine for melanoma has entered phase 3 trials. Developed to target tumor neoantigens.
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The deadliest form of skin cancer affects approximately 132,000 individuals globally each year. Surgery has been the primary treatment for melanoma supplemented by radiotherapy, medicines, and chemotherapy.
The personalized mRNA vaccine known as mRNA-4157 (V940), a new avenue in cancer therapy. Developed to target tumor neoantigens, the vaccine is tailored to each patient’s specific cancer type and tumor characteristics.
Neoantigens are unique markers expressed by tumors that can be recognized by the immune system. The Personalized mRNA Vaccine works by instructing the body’s immune system to identify and attack cancer cells, thereby preventing the disease from recurring.
To personalize the vaccine, a sample of the patient’s tumor is obtained during surgery followed by DNA sequencing and analysis using artificial intelligence.
This process results in the creation of a custom-built vaccine designed to target the patient’s specific tumor antigens.
Dr. Heather Shaw, the national coordinating investigator for the trial described the vaccine as “one of the most exciting things we’ve seen in a really long time.”
She addressed the precision and effectiveness of the vaccine likening it to a gourmet meal compared to fast food.
Early results from phase 2 trials have been promising, a huge reduction in the risk of cancer recurrence in melanoma patients.
When administered alongside the immunotherapy drug Keytruda, the vaccine led to a nearly 50% decrease in the likelihood of cancer recurrence after three years compared to Keytruda alone.
A phase 3 global trial has been launched, planning to enroll approximately 1,100 patients. In the UK, the trial is being led by University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) and will recruit at least 60 to 70 patients across eight centers.
One of the trial’s first participants, Steve Young, expressed his optimism about the treatment, stating, “This is my best chance at stopping the cancer in its tracks.”
Young, who underwent surgery to remove a melanoma growth from his scalp is among the patients receiving the personalized mRNA vaccine.
Professor Lawrence Young from the University of Warwick hailed the development as “one of the most exciting developments in modern cancer therapy.”
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He highlighted the resurgence of interest in cancer vaccines by advances in understanding immune responses and the advent of mRNA technology.
With skin cancer diagnoses on the rise the need for effective and targeted treatments has never been more urgent. Melanoma cases in the UK alone have increased by almost half over the last decade.
As the phase 3 trial progresses researchers are hopeful that this approach will usher in a new era of cancer treatment, a hope to patients worldwide.
Surgery is the primary treatment for melanoma, with additional interventions such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy employed in certain cases.
Designed to target individual patients’ specific cancerous cells, this therapy plans to activate the immune system to recognize and eliminate cancer cells.
In the phase 2 trial, the personalized mRNA vaccine showed promising results reducing the risk of cancer recurrence in melanoma patients.
Led by the University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH), the phase 3 trial has commenced, aiming to further evaluate the safety of the personalized mRNA vaccine.
The personalized mRNA vaccine, known as mRNA-4157 (V940), targets tumor neoantigens specific to each patient’s cancer.
By instructing the body to produce proteins or antibodies that attack these cancer-specific markers, the vaccine activates an anti-tumor immune response tailored to the individual’s tumor profile.
A sample of the patient’s tumor is obtained during surgery followed by DNA sequencing and utilization of artificial intelligence algorithms.
This process enables the creation of a bespoke anti-cancer vaccine precisely tailored to the patient’s tumor characteristics.
Patients enrolled in the trial receive the personalized mRNA vaccine alongside the immunotherapy drug Keytruda. This combination therapy aims to enhance the immune system’s ability to target and eliminate cancer cells.
Skin cancer including melanoma, remains a public health concern with over 224,000 cases diagnosed in England in 2019 alone.
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