Personalized mRNA vaccine trains lasting T cells in half of pancreatic cancer patients, Phase 1 study in Nature shows

BioNTech/Autogene cevumeran (BNT122)

Memorial Sloan Kettering researchers reported a Phase 1 trial in which vaccines were made in real time from each patient's removed pancreatic tumour. Of 16 vaccinated patients, 8 developed strong new T-cell responses; at a median 18 months of follow-up the responders had not reached median relapse, versus 13.4 months for non-responders.

• Each vaccine carried up to 20 tumour mutations; patients got atezolizumab after surgery, then the vaccine, then mFOLFIRINOX chemotherapy.
• In responders, vaccine-expanded T cells made up as much as 10% of all blood T cells.
• Doses arrived within 3 days of their target times (first dose about 9 weeks after surgery), showing made-to-order production can keep pace.