A phase 1 clinical trial tested GNOS-PV01, a personalized DNA vaccine, in patients with glioblastoma. The trial was conducted at Siteman Cancer Center and affiliated university medicine teams, and the results were published in Nature Cancer. The vaccine was developed by Geneos Therapeutics with collaborators, and it is designed to teach the immune system to recognise tumour neoantigens.
The platform can target many tumour proteins, and the study team used an algorithm from the university to pick neoantigens from different tumour regions. Nine adult patients were enrolled; each patients vaccine was made during recovery and radiation. Injections began on average ten weeks after surgery, first every three weeks for a short period and then less often.
All participants except one taking an immune-suppressing steroid showed increased immune-cell activity. Clinical outcomes compared favourably with historical results: many patients had no progression at six months, many survived one year, and some were alive after two years. Researchers say larger studies are the next step.
Difficult words
- clinical trial — a research study testing a medical treatment
- personalized — made or chosen for one specific person
- neoantigen — a new tumour protein that immune system recognisesneoantigens
- algorithm — a computer method for making decisions or choices
- enroll — to sign people into a study or programenrolled
- steroid — a drug that reduces the activity of the immune systemimmune-suppressing steroid
- progression — the disease getting worse or increasing over time
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- What reasons might researchers have for planning larger studies after this trial?
- Why might taking an immune-suppressing steroid reduce a vaccine's effect?
- Would you consider joining a clinical trial for a new cancer vaccine? Why or why not?
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