The trial is part of a broader study investigating mRNA vaccines against cancer.
A groundbreaking vaccine against cancer cells has shown promising early results in its first clinical trial, MetroThe vaccine, called mRNA-4359 and developed by Moderna Pharmaceuticals, the company that has made headlines with its COVID-19 vaccine, is designed to activate the body's immune system to identify and destroy cancer cells.
It uses mRNA technology, like that employed in the COVID-19 vaccine, to instruct the immune system to distinguish between healthy and tumor cells. In a Phase 1 clinical trial in 19 patients with advanced solid tumors, it was observed that eight patients showed no tumor growth and no new tumors appeared. Importantly, the vaccine was found to be well tolerated and without serious side effects.
Lead researcher Dr Debashis Sarkar, Clinical Lead in Experimental Oncology at King's College London and Consultant in Oncology at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, said: Metro“This study evaluating mRNA cancer immunotherapy is an important first step toward developing a new treatment for patients with advanced cancer. It shows that this treatment is well tolerated, with no serious side effects, and has the potential to stimulate the body's immune system to treat cancer more effectively.”
“However, the study has only included a small number of patients so far, so it is too early to tell how effective this will be for patients with advanced cancer.”
The study is currently enrolling patients with two specific cancers: melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer.
The mRNA-4359 trial is one of several studies being conducted to explore potential cancer vaccines. Others include Moderna's personalized mRNA vaccine for melanoma and BioNTech's experimental lung cancer vaccine. These vaccines represent a major advancement in cancer treatment and offer the first ray of hope for patients with advanced cancer.
