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Analysis-Moderna, Merck breakthrough could usher in wave of cancer vaccines

Analysis-Moderna, Merck breakthrough could usher in wave of cancer vaccines

CHICAGO, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Merck and Moderna's success with a personalized cancer vaccine designed to keep melanoma at bay opens a new avenue of treatment that doctors hope will work against many types of tumors.
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MSD and Moderna's Personalized mRNA Cancer Vaccine Shows Promise in Melanoma Trial

MSD and Moderna's Personalized mRNA Cancer Vaccine Shows Promise in Melanoma Trial

MSD and Moderna have announced positive top-line results from their Phase III INTerpath-001 trial for intismeran autogene, a personalized mRNA-based cancer vaccine, in combination with pembrolizumab (Keytruda) for patients with completely resected Stage IIB-IV melanoma. The trial, involving 1,137 patients, demonstrated statistically significant improvements in recurrence-free survival (RFS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) compared to Keytruda monotherapy, which is the current standard of care. This marks the first time an mRNA-based, individualized neoantigen therapy has shown additive benefit over Keytruda in the adjuvant melanoma setting. The vaccine is custom-built using a patient's own tumor tissue to target neoantigens, training the immune system to fight specific cancer cells. Researchers reported no new safety signals linked to the combination therapy, indicating it was well-tolerated by patients.
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Moderna and Merck Announce Breakthrough in Personalized Cancer Vaccine for Melanoma

Moderna and Merck Announce Breakthrough in Personalized Cancer Vaccine for Melanoma

Merck and Moderna have reported significant success with a personalized cancer vaccine designed to prevent the recurrence and spread of melanoma. This vaccine, known as intismeran autogene, combines Merck’s immunotherapy drug Keytruda with a customized mRNA vaccine. The mRNA vaccine instructs the immune system to specifically target mutations found only on a patient's tumor, a different approach from traditional chemotherapy or general immunotherapy. A large trial involving over 1,000 melanoma patients, who had surgically removed localized tumors but faced a high risk of recurrence, demonstrated the vaccine's effectiveness. Five-year data from a previous mid-stage trial, presented in June, indicated that the vaccine cut the risk of cancer returning by half and reduced the risk of it spreading to new locations by 59% when compared to Keytruda alone. The companies noted no new side effects with the addition of the vaccine, with reactions similar to those experienced with flu or COVID shots. This development ...
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Supercentenarians Exhibit Abundance of Cancer-Killing Immune Cells, Suggesting Immune Adaptation in Extreme Old Age

Supercentenarians Exhibit Abundance of Cancer-Killing Immune Cells, Suggesting Immune Adaptation in Extreme Old Age

A recent study published in the journal Cell Reports indicates that supercentenarians, individuals aged 110 and older, possess an abundance of specialized immune cells known as CD4 cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CD4 CTLs), which are known to kill tumor cells. Researchers analyzed blood samples from adults across different age groups (70-99, 100-109, and 110+) and found that the proportion of CD4 CTLs increased with age, reaching a median of 17.6% in supercentenarians. This expansion is driven by clonal expansion, where these cells multiply when the immune system is under attack. Kosuke Hashimoto, an associate professor at the University of Osaka in Japan and first author of the study, suggests that this selective expansion of T cells indicates the immune system's continued adaptation to age-related challenges, even in extreme old age. The study also found that some CD4 CTL clones in supercentenarians matched receptor sequences found in cancer patients, leading researchers to theorize these cells may reflect earl...
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New CAR-T Cell Therapy Technique Shows Promise Against Solid Tumors

New CAR-T Cell Therapy Technique Shows Promise Against Solid Tumors

Researchers at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering have developed a new technique, called SHIFTERS, to enhance CAR-T cell therapy's effectiveness against solid tumors. CAR-T cell therapy, a significant advancement in cancer treatment, has primarily been successful against blood cancers. The challenge with solid tumors has been the lack of a consistent, clear target for CAR-T cells. The SHIFTERS approach addresses this by using focused ultrasound in conjunction with a tumor's low oxygen levels to induce tumor cells to temporarily display the CD19 marker, which CAR-T cells recognize. This two-tiered attack ensures that the marker is only displayed where both signals (low oxygen and focused ultrasound) meet, directing CAR-T cells precisely to the tumor. Initial testing on lab-grown cancer cells, tumor models, and animals demonstrated that this method significantly strengthened CAR-T cell attacks, leading to dramatic tumor shrinkage. Notably, only 10 to 25 percent of tumor cells needed to display the tempora...
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St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Appoints Charles W.M. Roberts as New President and CEO

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Appoints Charles W.M. Roberts as New President and CEO

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has announced the appointment of Charles W.M. Roberts, MD, PhD, as its new president and CEO. Dr. Roberts, who joined St. Jude in 2015 as the Comprehensive Cancer Center director, will succeed James R. Downing, MD, who is stepping down as part of a planned leadership transition. During his tenure as Cancer Center director, Roberts led the center to achieve the top “Exceptional” ranking by the National Cancer Institute in both reviews and its best score in institutional history each time. His research has made significant advancements in cancer epigenetics, particularly in uncovering tumor-suppressive roles of SMARCAB1/SNF5 in lethal pediatric rhabdoid tumors, leading to new FDA-approved and investigational cancer therapies for both children and adults. Dr. Roberts' contributions have been recognized by the medical and scientific community, including his election as a fellow of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Academy.
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Research Explores Transcription Factors' Role in Adaptive Immunity and Cancer

Research Explores Transcription Factors' Role in Adaptive Immunity and Cancer

New research is focusing on the role of transcription factors in regulating adaptive immunity, particularly in the context of cancer and autoimmune diseases. This area of study, detailed in 'Transcription Factors as Regulators of Adaptive Immunity - Volume II,' investigates how these factors influence the development, activation, migration, and effector functions of adaptive immune cells like T and B lymphocytes and antigen-presenting cells (APCs). The research aims to understand the precise changes in gene expression orchestrated by transcription factors binding to cis-regulatory elements in the genome. This includes exploring their impact on immune dysregulation and human diseases, with a specific interest in how these mechanisms relate to cancer. The scope of this research emphasizes experimental validation over purely bioinformatic analyses, especially when applying genetic analyses to oncological diseases, requiring real laboratory and clinical data.
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Nanoplatelets Show Promise as Targeted Drug Delivery System for Cancer Therapy

Nanoplatelets Show Promise as Targeted Drug Delivery System for Cancer Therapy

Researchers have developed a novel nanoplatelet platform that could significantly advance targeted radionuclide therapy (TRT) for cancer. TRT involves attaching radioisotopes to molecules that specifically target cancer cells. The new nanoplatelet, created through a unique assembly process, possesses a specialized layered structure that allows it to rapidly absorb and strongly bind a wide variety of radioisotopes. This innovation addresses the challenge of effectively delivering short-lived radioactive isotopes to tumor sites, which are crucial for both imaging tumors and inflicting cellular damage. The platform is versatile, accommodating numerous radioisotopes, including those previously unstudied, and offers potential for both imaging and therapeutic applications, or a dual theranostic approach.
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Pembrolizumab Treatment Linked to Rapid Onset Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Pembrolizumab Treatment Linked to Rapid Onset Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

A retrospective analysis of 43 cases has revealed that pembrolizumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor, can induce type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). This adverse event is characterized by rapid and often irreversible beta-cell failure, frequent diabetic ketoacidosis, and persistent insulin dependence. The median age of affected patients was 67 years, with 55.8% being male. The onset of T1DM occurred at a median of 15 weeks after pembrolizumab initiation, ranging from 3 to 104 weeks. The most common underlying malignancies were melanoma (34.9%) and lung cancer (23.3%), and notably, 83.3% of patients had no prior history of diabetes. Symptoms included fatigue (62.5%), polyuria, polydipsia, or thirst (57.5%), and nausea or vomiting (45.0%). Diabetic ketoacidosis was observed in 83.7% of cases, with a median blood glucose level of 558 mg/dL at presentation. All patients required insulin therapy, and 97.0% of those with follow-up data showed persistent insulin dependence or beta-cell deficiency. The study also fou...
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Oncolytics Biotech Receives FDA Alignment for Accelerated Approval Pathway of Pelareorep in Colorectal Cancer

Oncolytics Biotech Receives FDA Alignment for Accelerated Approval Pathway of Pelareorep in Colorectal Cancer

Oncolytics Biotech Receives FDA Alignment for Accelerated Approval Pathway of Pelareorep in Colorectal Cancer
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Charles W.M. Roberts Appointed President and CEO of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Charles W.M. Roberts Appointed President and CEO of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Charles W.M. Roberts, MD, PhD, has been named the next president and chief executive officer of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, with his tenure set to begin on January 1, 2027. Dr. Roberts currently serves as the executive vice president and director of the St. Jude Comprehensive Cancer Center. His appointment follows an extensive international search conducted by the firm Spencer Stuart. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is a leading institution dedicated to understanding, treating, and curing childhood cancer, sickle cell disease, and other life-threatening disorders. It holds the distinction of being the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center focused exclusively on children. Since its inception over 60 years ago, treatments developed at St. Jude have significantly improved the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20% to 80%. The hospital is also known for sharing its research breakthroughs globally to enhance treatment and care for more children.
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COVID-19 Vaccine May Offer Survival Benefit to Brain Cancer Patients, Preliminary Study Suggests

COVID-19 Vaccine May Offer Survival Benefit to Brain Cancer Patients, Preliminary Study Suggests

A preliminary study, not yet peer-reviewed, suggests that the COVID-19 vaccine might improve survival rates for patients with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. Patients who received the COVID-19 vaccine within 100 days before a biopsy or tumor surgery lived twice as long as unvaccinated patients. Specifically, vaccinated patients lived 743 days or longer, compared to 349 days for unvaccinated patients. This association was observed only with COVID-19 vaccines, not with other non-mRNA vaccines like those for flu or pneumonia. James Markert, a neurosurgeon at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, noted that while the study found an association, it does not establish a cause-and-effect relationship. Elias Sayour, a pediatric oncologist at the University of Florida College of Medicine, who was not involved in this specific study, highlighted mounting evidence that mRNA COVID-19 vaccines may stimulate anti-cancer activity. His previous research linked mRNA COVID-19 vaccination to extended sur...