A groundbreaking clinical trial for a new pancreatic cancer vaccine has brought hope to Europe as a patient in Birmingham becomes the first person in the continent to sign up. Pancreatic cancer is notoriously deadly, making this trial a significant development in the fight against the disease. The launch of the trial’s European arm has been met with optimism by experts, with Pancreatic Cancer UK highlighting the potential of the vaccine as a “vital new weapon” in battling the condition.
The trial, taking place at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital, offers individualised treatment with each vaccine specifically tailored to the patient. By training the immune system to identify and attack cancer cells, researchers aim to lower the risk of cancer recurrence following surgery to remove the main tumour. Known as BNT122, the vaccine is a product of BioNTech and Genentech, utilising mRNA vaccine technology similar to Covid vaccines but customised for each patient in this case.
Patients included in the trial, who have undergone surgery for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, will either receive the vaccine alongside chemotherapy or chemotherapy alone post-surgery. This setup allows for a comparison between the vaccine and the current standard treatment. Dr Chris Macdonald of Pancreatic Cancer UK expressed excitement over the trial’s potential, emphasising the importance of new treatment options for pancreatic cancer patients.
Pancreatic cancer, known for its poor survival rates, has a five-year survival rate of less than 7% and affects around 10,000 individuals in the UK annually. Dr Shivan Sivakumar, the principal investigator of the trial, lauded the enrolment of the first European patient at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, highlighting the significance of the milestone. Jo Gray, head of research and development operations at UHB, noted the importance of providing expert care to patients undergoing experimental therapies through the NIHR Wellcome Trust CRF.
In parallel to this trial, Cancer Research UK has launched a study to pinpoint when the immune system detects tumours, aiming to intervene earlier in disease progression. By understanding this crucial moment, researchers hope to enhance early cancer detection and improve treatments leveraging the body’s immune response against cancer cells. Dr Heather Machado, leading the study at the University of Cambridge, highlighted the potential for groundbreaking insights that could revolutionise cancer immunotherapies and lead to earlier cancer detection.
Overall, these developments in cancer research represent significant strides towards improving outcomes for cancer patients and offer a glimmer of hope in the ongoing battle against this devastating disease.