A groundbreaking Phase I trial at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center shows the potential of the new Cancer vaccination ELI-002. It is intended to prevent relapses of KRAS-mutant pancreatic and colon cancer after surgery. The innovative vaccine, which targets specific KRAS mutations – changes in the KRAS gene that play an important role in cell growth regulation – marks a significant advance in cancer treatment.
Cancer vaccination with few side effects
The study found that 84 percent of all participants and 100 percent in the highest dose groups showed significant T cell responses. This is the process in which T cells of the immune system are activated, multiply and act specifically against identified foreign antigens such as viruses, bacteria or cancer cells. The safety profile of the vaccine is also promising with no major side effects. Common side effects such as fatigue and muscle pain were manageable and not serious.
Participants with higher T-cell responses showed an 86 percent reduction in the risk of cancer recurrence or death compared to those with lower responses. This correlation highlights the effectiveness of cancer vaccination in prolonging recurrence-free survival, a crucial aspect of cancer follow-up after surgery.
Who is at risk of a relapse?
“Patients who have undergone surgery for pancreatic cancer have an increased risk of disease relapse, even after chemotherapy is completed,” quoted SciTechDaily the study leader and associate professor of gastrointestinal medical oncology Shubham Pant. This particularly applies to patients who are positive for circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). This puts them at a higher risk of relapse
When these patients relapse, the disease is not curable, so there is certainly an unmet need. With this, Pant emphasized the need for effective treatments such as cancer vaccination in this high-risk group.
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“Some promising results”
KRAS mutations are found in about a quarter of all solid tumors, including 90 percent of pancreatic cancers. The ELI-002 vaccine’s ability to combat these mutations could potentially benefit a wide range of cancer patients.
“It is still early, but we have seen some promising results that suggest this vaccine can help many of these patients avoid relapse, which could increase survival rates,” Pant said. “It also showed a favorable safety profile, which is very interesting.”
Encouraged by the positive results of the Phase I study, researchers are moving on to the Phase II study. This next phase will test a new formulation of ELI-002 to expand its effectiveness against additional KRAS mutations and further strengthen its potential as a cancer vaccine.
Source: “Lymph-node-targeted, mKRAS-specific amphiphile vaccine in pancreatic and colorectal cancer: the phase 1 AMPLIFY-201 trial” (Nature Medicine, 2024); SciTechDaily
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