“We have entered a new era in the fight against cancer and melanoma in particular.” He is convinced of it Stephan BancelCEO of biotech company Moderna, a pioneer in messenger RNA (mRNA)-based therapies and vaccines, who commented on the data released today following the conclusion of the second phase of trials of a personalized mRNA cancer vaccine, used in conjunction with Merck’s Keytruda® immunotherapy.
The results of the second trial indeed proved a clinically and statistically significant improvement in disease recurrence, and therefore in healing in patients with stage III/IV melanoma. Specifically, treatment with the personalized mRNA-4157/V940 cancer vaccine, used in combination with Keytruda, has reduced the risk of recurrence or death by 44%compared to immunological treatment alone.
“These results are very encouraging on the cancer treatment front,” said CEO Bancel. “mRNA has been a game changer for COVID-19 and now, for the first time ever, we have demonstrated the potential of the same technology with the results of the new melanoma clinical trial. We will initiate further studies on melanoma and other forms of cancer with the aim of offering patients truly personalized cancer treatments. We look forward to publishing the complete dataset and sharing the findings at an upcoming oncology medical conference, as well as with health authorities.”
Melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, is characterized by the uncontrolled growth of pigment-producing cells. Melanoma rates have increased in recent decades, with nearly 325,000 new cases diagnosed worldwide in 2020. Five-year survival rates are estimated at 60.3% for stage III and 16.2% for stage IV.
“The results of this study are exciting – they provide the first evidence that we can improve recurrence-free survival rates on the melanoma front. These data also provide the first evidence of how useful a personalized neoantigenic approach can be to address these types of tumours,” he added. Jeffrey S. Weberprincipal investigator of the study and deputy director of the Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone.
A very important step, therefore, a prelude to a whole series of personalized vaccines that can help fight various types of cancer. “I think next year we may already have the first melanoma vaccine, the one we’re already working on,” he said. Stephan Bancel at Vanity Fair. “But one can be ambitious and while being aware of the temporal needs of developing a vaccine, I am convinced that within 5 years, and already starting from the next two, this technology could have a major impact on various types of cancer”.
What is the personalized cancer vaccine and how does it work?
Since its inception, Moderna’s commitment has always been to Create a new generation of transformative medicines for patients using mRNA technology that harness the body’s immune system to identify and kill cancer cells, in the same way that the immune system identifies and targets infections. One example of a promising cancer candidate is the creation of personalized mRNA-based cancer vaccines that can deliver tailored treatments for each patient.
Personalized cancer vaccines are designed to stimulate the immune system so that a patient can generate a “tailored” anti-tumor responseor specific for its cellular mutation.
Specifically, the new mRNA-4157/V940 is a customized messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA)-based cancer vaccine consisting of a single synthetic mRNA encoding up to 34 neoantigens, designed and manufactured based on the unique mutational signature of the DNA sequence of the patient’s tumor.
The current mRNA-4157/V940 vaccine is therefore designed to stimulate an immune response that generates targeted T-cell responses to a patient’s specific tumor mutation. Keytruda is an immunotherapy that works by increasing the body’s immune system’s ability to help detect and fight cancer cells. Based on early clinical studies, the combination of mRNA-4157/V940 with Keytruda may provide an additional benefit and enhance T-cell-mediated tumor cell destruction.
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Source: Vanity Fair
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