UK Trials Groundbreaking Personalized mRNA Skin Cancer Jab in World-First Study
In a significant advancement in cancer treatment, a pioneering mRNA skin cancer jab is currently undergoing trials in the UK, heralded as a potential ‘game-changer’ in the fight against the disease, shared by BBC. This innovative treatment is not only tailored to each patient but also holds promise for combating other cancers such as bladder, lung, and kidney if proven successful.
The personalized jab, developed through collaboration between Moderna and MSD, is in the midst of a phase 3 trial led by University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH). Early results from a phase 2 trial indicated that the vaccine significantly reduces the risk of cancer recurrence in melanoma patients, told by Mirror.
Dr. Heather Shaw, the coordinating investigator of the trial, expressed her enthusiasm about the potential of this new treatment. “This is one of the most exciting things we’ve seen in a really long time,” she remarked, comparing the sophisticated nature of the treatment to high culinary art. “To be able to sit there and say to your patients that you’re offering them something that’s effectively like the Fat Duck at Bray versus McDonald’s – it’s that level of cordon bleu that’s coming to them.”
The treatment, known as mRNA-4157 (V940), targets tumor neoantigens unique to each patient’s cancer. These markers on the tumor can be recognized by the immune system, and the jab, which carries coding for up to 34 neoantigens, activates an anti-tumor immune response based on these unique mutations. The process involves removing a sample of the tumor during surgery, followed by DNA sequencing and the application of artificial intelligence to create a highly personalized therapy, reported by The Telegraph.
One of the trial participants, Steve Young, a 52-year-old from Stevenage, described his excitement about participating in the trial. After discovering a bump on his head was melanoma, he was drawn to the innovative approach of the trial. “It really piqued my interest. As soon as they mentioned this mRNA technology that was being used to potentially fight cancer, I was just like, ‘it sounds fascinating’ and I still feel the same. I’m really, really excited. This is my best chance at stopping the cancer in its tracks,” he explained.
Dr. Shaw emphasized the tailored nature of the treatment, noting, “This is very much an individualized therapy and it’s far cleverer in some senses than a vaccine. It is absolutely custom built for the patient – you couldn’t give this to the next patient in the line because you wouldn’t expect it to work.”
The ultimate goal of this trial is not just to treat cancer but to eradicate it completely, targeting any residual cells that might cause a recurrence. “With (this) therapy, what you’re doing is dealing with the theoretical risk that the cancer could recur,” Dr. Shaw said. The aim is to move more patients into a recurrence-free survival state, which should translate into overall survival benefits and potentially cure the patients of their cancer.