Personalised vaccine shows lasting promise against deadly pancreatic cancer

In the small Phase 1 trial, 16 patients with early-stage pancreatic cancer received a custom-made vaccine after surgery. After six years, nearly all patients who showed a response to the vaccine are still alive.

In Short

• Personalised mRNA vaccine offers hope for pancreatic cancer treatment
• Small Phase 1 trial shows encouraging long-term survival rates
• Vaccine helps immune system recognise and fight cancer cells

A personalised mRNA vaccine for pancreatic cancer has shown encouraging long-term results in an early clinical trial, offering a potential new direction for treating one of the deadliest cancers.

In the small Phase 1 trial led by Dr. Vinod Balachandran, director of the Olayan Center for Cancer Vaccines at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, 16 patients with early-stage pancreatic cancer received a custom-made vaccine after surgery.

The vaccine was designed using genetic material from each patient's own tumour, helping the body recognise and fight any remaining cancer cells.

Along with the vaccine, patients also received standard chemotherapy.

SIX-YEAR FOLLOW-UP BRINGS CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM

What makes these findings notable is the follow-up. After six years, nearly all patients who showed a response to the vaccine are still alive.

In total, eight out of the 16 patients developed a strong immune reaction, and six of them remain alive years later.

By comparison, pancreatic cancer typically has very poor survival rates, with fewer than 13% of patients living beyond five years.

TRAINING THE BODY TO FIGHT CANCER

The vaccine works by training the immune system. Instead of directly killing cancer, it teaches the body to identify cancer cells as harmful.

Once trained, immune cells, especially “killer” cells, can seek out and destroy these cancer cells if they return.

Researchers also found that another set of immune cells, called “helper” cells, may play an important role in keeping this response active over time.

The trial results, first published earlier and now updated with longer follow-up data, are being presented at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting.

A SHIFT IN HOW VACCINES ARE TESTED

This approach also points to a shift in how such vaccines are being studied. Earlier attempts focused on people with advanced cancer, where results were disappointing.

This study instead looked at patients soon after surgery, when the disease burden is lower, an approach that now seems more promising.

In light of these promising results, scientists, however, say that more research is needed.

The study involved a very small number of patients, and not everyone responded to the treatment.

Larger trials are already underway, including a Phase 2 study by BioNTech and Genentech, to better understand how well this approach works and who is most likely to benefit.

If future trials confirm these results, personalised cancer vaccines could become an important tool alongside surgery and chemotherapy, especially for cancers that have long resisted treatment.

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