2024-04-26 09:32:00
When the COVID-19 virus outbreak hit, the world learned more regarding the mRNA vaccine. As the hope of preventing disease It is also the future of protecting populations once morest the deadliest disease, cancer.
Recently, the UK launched phase 3 clinical trials of the world’s first “personalized mRNA vaccine” once morest the deadliest form of skin cancer, melanoma.
Steve Young, 52, from Stevenage. He was one of the first patients to volunteer to test the new vaccine. He had skin melanoma. and just had a scalp tumor removed last August.
Vaccine mRNA-4157 (V940) It is designed to help the vaccine recipient’s immune system recognize and eliminate any remaining cancer cells. This means In theory, His cancer would not come back.
Doctors at University College London Hospital (UCLH) administer the vaccine in combination with another medicine, pembrolizumab. (Pembrolizumab), which helps the immune system kill cancer cells
The combination treatment trial is being led by Moderna, the company that developed the mRNA technology, and Merck Sharp & Dohme, a major drug developer.
Experts in other countries including Australia The same formula is also being tested on cancer patients. to gather further evidence and whether this treatment should be made more widely available.
Patients will receive 1 mg of the mRNA vaccine every 3 weeks for up to 9 doses and will receive 200 mg of pembrolizumab every 3 weeks (up to 18 doses) for approximately 1 year.
Vaccines are individualized. This means that the composition of the vaccine will change depending on each patient. Not the same at all
It is created to match the unique genetic signature of the patient’s tumor. And it works by instructing the body to make proteins or antibodies that attack only the targets or antigens present in these cancer cells.
UCLH researcher Dr Heather Shaw said the trial had potential as a treatment for melanoma patients. And it is being tested in other cancers, such as lung tumors. Bladder and kidneys
“It’s one of the most exciting things we’ve seen in years. It is created specifically for each patient. You cannot give the same vaccine to the next patient in line. I don’t think it’s going to work,” Shaw said.
She added: “These are very technical and carefully designed for the patient. »
The UK trial aims to recruit at least 60 to 70 patients at eight testing centers across the country. Patients participating in the trial must have had a high-risk skin cancer removed at least 12 weeks before vaccination. To get the best results
Steve Young said: “This trial gives me the opportunity to feel that I am really taking action once morest this invisible enemy… The analyzes show that I still have a chance. Cancer cells go undetected, so instead of waiting and hoping. it’s not coming back, I actually have the opportunity to get involved by putting on the boxing gloves and fighting it.
Phase 2 trial data released in December 2023 found that people with serious, high-risk tumors who received the vaccine in combination with pembrolizumab treatment were almost half (49%) more likely to die or see their cancer return within 3 years than those treated with pembrolizumab alone.
Dr Shaw said there was real hope that this treatment would be a “game changer”, especially as the treatment appears to have relatively tolerable side effects, such as fatigue, arm pain and other symptoms similar to those of a flu shot or COVID-19.
Compiled from BBC
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