First patient receives mRNA bowel cancer vaccine in England, with thousands more arriving

There is great news for cancer patients in England today, as thousands of people are set to benefit from fast-track access to a new program which will give them access to personalized experimental vaccines. The initiative, called Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad, aims to attract more patients to participate in mRNA vaccine trials for their specific cancer, in hopes of accelerating the development of these potentially revolutionary treatments.

The first patient to receive an injection under the new program was Elliot Phebve, a 55-year-old university professor and father of four who was diagnosed with colorectal cancer after routine tests. After surgery to remove the tumor and part of the intestine, Phebve underwent chemotherapy and was invited to take part in the trial.

“Participating in this trial corresponds to my job as a speaker and solidarity actor. I want to positively impact the lives of others and help them realize their potential,” Phebve said in a statement.

The hospital where Phebve received the experimental vaccine is one of 30 hospitals in England that have signed up to the Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad, with more to follow soon.

We have seen the potential of mRNA vaccine technology during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the big advantage in cancer is that these vaccines can be personalized to a specific patient’s specific tumor, which gives them the best chance of effectiveness. A landmark Phase 3 trial of a melanoma vaccine was launched recently, followed shortly thereafter by reports of positive early results from a brain cancer vaccine in humans and our best canine buds.

We hope that the Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad will allow more patients to access this new technology, streamlining the eligibility assessment process and inviting patients to participate in an appropriate trial.

“The NHS (the United Kingdom’s National Health Service) is in a unique position to conduct this type of cutting-edge research on a global scale, and as more and more of these trials are initiated and run in hospitals Across the country, our national matching system will ensure that as many eligible patients as possible have the opportunity to access it,” explained NHS Chief Executive Amanda Pritchard.

An mRNA vaccine aims to trigger a patient’s immune system to produce antibodies against proteins known to play a role in their cancer – this information is obtained via testing of tumor tissue. When used in conjunction with surgery, radiation therapy, and other drug treatments deemed appropriate by oncologists, it is hoped that these vaccines will help the body eliminate any remaining tumor cells and reduce the risk of recurrence. .

Iain Foulkes, executive director of research and innovation at the charity Cancer Research UK, commented: “Clinical trials like this are vital to helping more people live longer, better lives, without fear of cancer. »

The UK government is teaming up with vaccine maker BioNTech and committing to providing 10,000 patients with precision cancer treatment by 2030. There are plans to expand the program to other types of cancer, including pancreatic cancer, which is the 10th.^th most common type in the UK, but the fifth leading cause of cancer death.

Cancer vaccines are looking more and more realistic, thanks to a succession of advances and positive trial results. Phebve summed up what a new treatment option could mean for the nearly half of us expected to be affected by cancer in our lifetime.

“With the potential of this trial, if successful, it could help thousands, if not millions, of people, so they can have hope and not experience everything I experienced.” Hope this helps other people.