Indian-origin doctor has created a game-changing mRNA vaccine for pancreatic cancer.
Scientists at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center have developed a groundbreaking personalized mRNA vaccine to treat pancreatic cancer, which has shown promising results in clinical trials scheduled to be completed in the coming days.
Led by Dr Vinod Balachandran, the research team has collaborated with BioNTech to create a personalized vaccine that stimulates the immune system to recognize and attack pancreatic cancer cells.
Eight of the 16 patients saw a delay in cancer recurrence after treatment. This innovative approach focuses on neoantigens, which are proteins found in pancreatic tumors that alert the immune system to cancer cells.
Unlike traditional one-size-fits-all vaccines, these mRNA vaccines are customized for each patient to produce specific T cells that target their specific cancer cells.
Dr Balachandran’s research journey began seven years ago when his team discovered that some pancreatic cancer patients who survived longer after tumor removal surgery had tumors with high numbers of immune cells, particularly T cells.
There has been a lot of interest in using immunotherapy for pancreatic cancer as nothing else has proven to be very effective.
We thought immunotherapy had potential since we started researching about seven years ago,” Dr. Balachandran explained.
The research team found that T cells recognizing these neoantigens remained in the bloodstream of patients for up to 12 years after tumor removal, producing a natural immune response similar to vaccination.
The findings were published in Nature in November 2017, coinciding with the team’s exploration of mRNA vaccine delivery methods. Ugur Sahin, CEO of BioNTech, expressed interest in the research, leading to a collaborative partnership.
The vaccine development process begins after surgical removal of the pancreatic tumor. The tumor is genetically sequenced to identify mutations that generate neoantigen proteins that appear foreign to the immune system. During vaccine production, patients are given a checkpoint inhibitor drug.
Once administered, the mRNA vaccine induces dendritic cells to produce neoantigen proteins and educates T cells to recognize and attack tumor cells with matching proteins. There were significant challenges in the manufacturing process, which required custom production for each patient.
This included removing the tumor, shipping samples to Germany for sequencing, manufacturing the vaccine, and returning shipping to New York within strict timeframes.
The COVID-19 pandemic added unexpected complications to the clinical trial. However, the team quickly adapted, completing the trial in 18 months instead of the anticipated two and a half years.
Dr. Balachandran confirmed, “An mRNA vaccine can trigger the production of T cells that recognize pancreatic cancer cells,” highlighting the treatment’s potential impact.
The research team received significant support from various individuals and organizations, including Department of Surgery Chair Jeffrey Drebin, Hepatopancreatobiliary Service Chief William Jarnagin, Medical Oncologist Eileen O’Reilly, and Physician-Scientist Jed Volchok.
The team continues to analyze trial data to understand factors that influence the vaccine’s efficacy. Their partnership with BioNTech and Genentech, supported by the Stand Up 2 Cancer/Lustgarten Foundation, plans to test these personalized mRNA vaccines in a larger group of pancreatic cancer patients.
This research represents a significant advance in pancreatic cancer treatment, demonstrating how mRNA technology can be used to address complex medical challenges beyond infectious diseases.
The findings suggest that cancer recurrence may be delayed in patients whose immune systems respond to the vaccine, offering new hope for those affected by pancreatic cancer.
The successful completion of this trial ahead of schedule, despite pandemic-related challenges, reflects the dedication of the research team and their collaborators in advancing cancer treatment options.
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