Cancer Vaccine Trial Shows Positive Results For Tumour Patients

A promising breakthrough in cancer treatment is emerging, thanks to recent trial results. Moderna's experimental vaccine, mRNA-4359, is making strides toward reality. Targeted at patients with advanced melanoma, lung cancer, and other solid tumours, this vaccine aims to enhance the body's ability to identify and combat cancer cells. Early trial data suggest it could significantly boost immune responses, potentially improving treatment outcomes.

In the initial human study, 19 participants with advanced solid tumours received between one and nine doses of mRNA-4359. Of the 16 patients assessed, eight showed no tumour growth or new tumour development. The vaccine was reported to be "well tolerated" with no severe side effects. Researchers are calling these findings "a crucial first step" toward developing a new therapeutic option for those with advanced cancers.

Leveraging mRNA technology akin to that used in COVID-19 vaccines, this approach educates the immune system to distinguish cancer cells from healthy ones and prompts it to target and eliminate the cancerous cells. Dr. Debashis Sarker, a clinical reader in experimental oncology at King’s College London and consultant in medical oncology at Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, will unveil the findings at the European Society of Medical Oncology conference in Barcelona.

He said in a statement, “This study evaluating an mRNA cancer immunotherapy is an important first step in hopefully developing a new treatment for patients with advanced cancers. We have shown that the therapy is well tolerated without serious side effects and can stimulate the body’s immune system in a way that could help to treat cancer more effectively. However, as this study has only involved a small number of patients to date, it’s too early to say how effective this could be for people with advanced stage cancer.”

In late October, an 81-year-old man became the first individual in the UK to receive the mRNA-4359 vaccine at Hammersmith Hospital. The patient, who chose to stay anonymous, is battling malignant melanoma that has proven resistant to other treatments. This clinical trial is now seeking participants with certain cancers—specifically melanoma and non-small-cell lung cancer—to test low doses of mRNA-4359 combined with pembrolizumab, commonly known as Keytruda. Dr. Sarkar highlighted the significance of this study, calling it “a major international collaboration spanning the UK, USA, Spain, and Australia.”

Kyle Holen, Senior Vice President and Health of Development, Therapeutics and Oncology at Moderna, stated “We are encouraged by the phase 1 results of mRNA-4359, which demonstrate its potential to elicit strong antigen-specific T-cell responses while maintaining a manageable safety profile.This novel approach could be a key component in shifting the tumour microenvironment toward a more immune-permissive state, offering potential hope for patients with advanced solid tumours.”

The mRNA-4359 study is part of a broader array of research aimed at developing cancer-fighting vaccines. Among these is the phase 3 trial for a customized mRNA vaccine targeting melanoma, known as mRNA-4157 (V940), which was administered to a British patient earlier this year. This innovative approach involves using a tumor sample, DNA sequencing, and AI to craft a vaccine tailored to the specific characteristics of the patient’s tumor. Additionally, in August, a lung cancer patient in the UK received a new vaccine designed to combat the disease. This vaccine, named BNT116 and developed by BioNTech, is being tested across 34 research centers in seven countries, including six sites in England and Wales.