A pioneering vaccine targeting pancreatic cancer has shown remarkable results in preclinical trials, potentially paving the way for new treatment options for the deadliest form of cancer.
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic have created a vaccine that has eliminated pancreatic cancer in preclinical models of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the most common form of the disease.
Pancreatic cancer remains one of the deadliest forms of cancer, with a grim five-year survival rate of just 13%, according to the American Cancer Society. The disease typically goes unnoticed until it has metastasized, making early detection challenging. Standard treatments such as surgery, radiation and chemotherapy rarely result in a cure, often only extending survival.
“Pancreatic cancer is super aggressive,” Zheng-Rong Lu, the M. Frank Rudy and Margaret C. Rudy Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the Case School of Engineering, said in a news release. “So it came as a surprise that our approach works so well.”
Lu teamed up with immunologist Li Lily Wang, an associate professor of molecular medicine at the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, to develop a vaccine that utilizes nanoparticles containing antigens, which serve as markers to help the immune system identify and attack cancer cells.
“This platform has the potential to transform clinical care for this devastating disease,” added Wang, who is also a staff member in translational hematology and oncology research at Cleveland Clinic. “I am excited to see that our novel nano-vaccine worked so well in eliciting vigorous responses from tumor-reactive T cells — which are typically low in numbers and unable to control tumor growth.”
Over two decades of Lu’s research on lipid-based nanoparticles — well-tolerated and compatible with living tissue — have culminated in this innovative vaccine. The nanoparticles stimulate the immune system by targeting oncogenes commonly mutated in PDAC cells, training the body to recognize and destroy these tumor cells.
The vaccines have shown impressive results, with over half of the preclinical models remaining cancer-free months after treatment.
Such results offer a potentially transformative approach to managing PDAC — not only as a therapy but possibly as a preventive measure for those genetically predisposed to the disease.
“We’ve shown that our vaccine generated immune memory in preclinical models,” Lu added. “If we could do that in patients, we could prevent PDAC before tumors start forming, so the vaccines could be either therapeutic or preventative.”
The researchers are planning to enhance the vaccine’s efficacy by combining it with immune checkpoint inhibitors, which help maintain the immune response against cancer cells. These inhibitors are already used in treating various cancers and could further improve the outcomes when used alongside the new vaccine.
Supported by a $3.27 million, five-year grant from the National Cancer Institute, the team will continue exploring the therapeutic potential of the vaccine in PDAC. Lu aims to collaborate with industry partners to ensure safety in other models before progressing to clinical trials in human patients.
Source: Case Western Reserve University