One of the goals of vaccine developers is to produce a personalized cancer cure. According to experts, using the personalized approach could make the more common cancers treatable and even preventable by using infusions.
But a major challenge, since it takes months to develop a vaccine, is to expedite the development process. Some cancers spread so rapidly they may metastasize (spread) ahead of a treatment being approved.
Studies have found that certain cancers such as melanoma, bladder, kidney, breast and even pancreatic cancers are treatable and possibly preventable by infusion.
According to a report in Axios, Moderna recently announced that it was launching three trials investigating experimental mRNA. The vaccine therapy will be tested against kidney and bladder cancer, and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer.
Moderna has also joined Merck with its immunotherapy Keytruda, in a trial to target melanoma.
The German vaccine developer BioNTech has mRNA vaccines in its pipeline and on deck against head and neck cancers as well as targeting melanoma. Both are in Phase II trials.
Two more entrants into the cancer vaccine arena are the Florida and Cincinnati Universities. Florida is using mRNA technology in its attack on glioblastoma in a small clinical trial. Cincinnati University is testing a vaccine targeting pancreatic cancer.
Then and Now
Vaccines that target hepatitis B and papilloma virus in humans have been around for some time. Either one can give rise to abnormalities in cells that cause cancer.
The newly developed cancer vaccines have benefited from COVID 19’s successful treatments. They have opened the door for mRNA associated therapeutics to target a wide variety of diseases.
The research teams are working with the immune system in seeking out, then destroying, solid tumors that have been difficult to remove with surgery. That has meant attempting to manage the side effects often accompanying chemotherapy.
The CEO of IO Biotech, Mai Zocca, commented that her company has a Phase III trial in progress that is investigating a melanoma vaccine. Dr. Zocca explained that her company uses a novel approach by utilizing pre-existing T cells and does not need to use the personalized approach.
This reduces or possibly eliminates immunosuppressive processes, thereby getting patients to treatment earlier. With the ever-increasing news of vaccines being developed against fatal cancers, patients now have renewed hope.
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Last modified: May 15, 2024
