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A non-mRNA vaccine targeting common mutations in pancreatic and colorectal cancers could reduce the risk of relapse, researchers say.
Recent research has highlighted the promise of cancer vaccines. The NHS in England is currently testing various vaccines through its Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad (CVLP) program.These vaccines work by training the immune system to identify and destroy cancer cells that may reappear after treatments like surgery, lowering the chances of cancer returning.
While many cancer vaccines—including some mRNA-based ones—are customized to individual tumors, a new study suggests that a standardized, off-the-shelf vaccine, which can be mass-produced, might help stop pancreatic and colorectal cancer from coming back.
If confirmed by further trials, experts believe this vaccine could offer benefits such as lower cost, faster availability, and fewer side effects compared to mRNA vaccines or other therapies.
“After long-term follow-up, we found that patients who developed an immune response to the vaccine were more likely to avoid cancer recurrence and live longer than expected,” said Professor Zev Wainberg, an oncologist at UCLA and co-author of the study.
The researchers noted that mutations in the Kras gene—present in 90% of pancreatic and 50% of colorectal cancer patients—cause cells to grow uncontrollably by producing altered Kras proteins.
Published in Nature Medicine, the study involved administering the vaccine ELI-002 2P to 25 patients who had surgery for pancreatic or colorectal cancer. The vaccine contains peptides that train the immune system’s T-cells to target cancer cells producing the abnormal Kras proteins.
After nearly 20 months of follow-up, patients were divided into two groups based on their immune response: 17 with a strong response and 8 with a weak one. Those with a strong response experienced longer cancer-free periods and improved survival. Four patients in the strong response group died during follow-up compared to seven in the weaker response group.
Despite being early-stage research with a small sample size and no control group, experts find the results encouraging. Professor Siow Ming Lee from University College London, not involved in the study, suggested that combining this vaccine with other immunotherapies could broaden its benefits and warrants larger trials, including for lung cancers driven by Kras mutations.
Dr. Shivan Sivakumar of the University of Birmingham, who researches mRNA pancreatic cancer vaccines, found it notable that many participants responded well to this off-the-shelf vaccine. However, he emphasized that personalized mRNA vaccines have the advantage of not depending solely on Kras mutations.
Sivakumar stressed the need for randomized controlled trials and longer patient monitoring to truly evaluate the vaccine’s effectiveness. “We often get excited by promising science, but the real test is always how patients respond,” he added.