The first personalized skin cancer vaccine is being tested in England: ‘Exciting’ – Last Minute Health News

The trial of the world’s first “personalized” mRNA vaccine against melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer, is being conducted in England.

Steve Young, 52, who had a melanoma growth on his scalp surgically removed last August, is one of the first patients to try the vaccine.

The vaccine is designed to help the immune system recognize and destroy any remaining cancerous cells.

It is hoped that this way the cancer will not return.

The vaccine, mRNA-4157 (V940), uses the same technology as existing Covid vaccines and is being tested in late-stage Phase 3 trials.

In the trial conducted at University College London Hospitals (UCLH), doctors give this vaccine together with a drug called pembrolizumab or Keytruda, which helps the immune system kill cancer cells.

genetic signature

The combined treatment, produced by Moderna and Merck Sharp and Dohme (MSD), has not yet been put into routine use in the healthcare system outside of clinical trials.

Other countries, including Australia, are also running trials on patients to gather more evidence and see if it can be more widely applied.

The vaccine is offered personalized, that is, its structure is modified to suit each patient.

It is created in accordance with the genetic structure of the patient’s own tumor. It instructs the body to produce proteins or antibodies that attack markers or antigens found only on these cancer cells.

‘Exciting’

UCLH researcher Dr. Heather Shaw said the vaccine has the potential to treat patients with melanoma and has also been tested in other cancers such as lung, bladder and kidney tumors.

“This is truly one of the most exciting things we’ve seen in a long time,” said Shaw.

“It’s definitely custom-made for the patient – you can’t give it to another patient because it won’t work. These things are highly technical and custom-made for the patient.”

The UK leg of the international trial aims to recruit at least 60-70 patients across eight centers including London, Manchester, Edinburgh and Leeds.

“I’m really excited. This is my best chance to stop the cancer,” said Young, who was treated in London.

Common symptoms of melanoma include:

• a new abnormal me
• an existing mole that grows or changes
• change in previously normal skin texture

It is important to protect yourself from the sun and check the skin regularly for any changes.

The earlier a melanoma is diagnosed, the easier it is to treat and the more likely the treatment is to be successful.

Phase 2 trial data published in December found that people with severe high-risk melanoma who received the vaccine along with the immunotherapy Keytruda were almost half (49%) as likely to die or have their cancer return after three years as those who received the drug alone.

Dr. Shaw said they are hopeful the treatment could be a “game changer,” especially since it has “relatively tolerable side effects.”

Stating that these side effects include fatigue and pain in the arm when the vaccine is given, Shaw said that for most patients, this does not seem worse than getting the flu or Covid vaccine.