Results from the Phase I trial—the first human study of this therapy—were presented on Saturday, September 14th, at the European Society of Medical Oncology conference in Barcelona by the UK Chief Investigator from the School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. The trial is sponsored by Moderna.
This mRNA immunotherapy is part of a broader trend of cancer vaccines entering clinical trials globally. The therapy functions by presenting common tumor markers to the patients’ immune systems, helping them recognize and attack cancer cells that express these markers, while potentially eliminating cells that could suppress the immune response.
The Phase I trial aimed to evaluate the safety and tolerability of the immunotherapy, with secondary and tertiary objectives focused on assessing radiographic and immunological responses.
The investigational mRNA cancer immunotherapy is designed for patients with lung cancer, melanoma, and other solid tumors. Nineteen patients with advanced-stage cancers received between one and nine doses of the treatment. Researchers observed that the immunotherapy elicited an immune response against the cancer and was well tolerated, with reported side effects including fatigue, pain at the injection site, and fever.
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