In a groundbreaking advancement, scientists have developed a vaccine that leverages mRNA technology—similar to that used in COVID-19 vaccines—to instruct the immune system to recognize and eliminate cancer cells. In a first-in-human study involving 19 patients with advanced solid tumors, the vaccine, known as mRNA-4359 and developed by Moderna, demonstrated remarkable efficacy: it halted tumor growth and prevented the emergence of new tumors in approximately half of the participants. Notably, the treatment was well-tolerated, with no serious side effects reported.
The mRNA-4359 vaccine operates by encoding specific antigens associated with cancer cells, thereby training the immune system to identify and target these malignant cells effectively. Dr. Debashis Sarker, the UK chief investigator and consultant at Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, described the results as “an important first step” toward developing new treatments for advanced cancers. Building on these promising findings, the trial is now expanding to include patients with specific types of cancer, such as melanoma and non-small-cell lung cancer, to evaluate the vaccine’s efficacy in combination with existing immunotherapies like pembrolizumab (Keytruda). Click for More Details
