THEL mRNA cancer vaccine for the treatment of melanoma is finally a reality. Yesterday January 26, 2024 atPascale Tumor Institute of Naples the first dose was administered to Alfredo De Renzis, the first Italian patient, who has been followed by the oncologist since last September, Professor Paolo Ascierto. Objective: attack the tumor. We asked the expert.
A cautious optimism
THE data at two years from the administration of this vaccine show a reduced risk of relapse or death by 44% in those who received it in combination with a known immunotherapy drug, the pembrolizumab. «It will take a few years before we have the results of this last phase of the clinical study. Our hope is that we can provide a new and more effective therapeutic option to as many patients as possible”, explains the Professor Ascierto, director of the department of melanoma oncology, oncological immunotherapy and innovative therapies of the National Cancer Institute IRCCS Pascale Foundation of Naples.
mRNA vaccine: how it works
«Today is a great day. The vaccine, produced by Moderna, it is based on the same technology adopted for those against Covidthat is, using synthetic mRNAs designed for “train” the immune system to recognize specific proteins, called ‘neoantigens’, which are the expression of genetic mutations that have occurred in diseased cells. Its purpose it is not to prevent the disease but to help and support the immune system of patients to recognize and attack the tumor more effectively. Of course, being a ‘double blind’ trial we could find ourselves faced with a dose of placebo. According to protocol, in fact, neither the patient nor the oncologist knows what has been injected into him. We will know at the end of the experimentation”, specifies the expert.
Advances in immunotherapy
«Immunotherapy represents the most important revolution in the last 10 years in the oncology field. We started with melanoma and now many drugs, such as so-called immune checkpoint inhibitorsthey come used against other types of cancer, such as that of the kidney, bladder and lungs. The same thing will most likely happen for mRNA vaccines: we will start with melanoma and then extend their use against other forms of cancer. To date Immunotherapy is one of the best and most promising weapons we have available against cancer, which has already saved millions of lives. It is therefore necessary continue to invest in research: For many melanoma patients, immunotherapy has made the difference between life and death. But I am convinced that we have only just begun to scratch the surface”, continues Professor Ascierto.
An evolving sector
The sector ofImmuno-oncology is constantly evolving, also thanks to the growing interest from pharmaceutical companies who have “smelled” its potential. According to a report drawn up byAllied Market Research, in 2020 the value of the global cancer immunotherapy market has been estimated at 85.6 billion dollarsbut it is expected that will reach $309.67 billion by 2030.
Vaccine: new candidates
After Alfredo De Renzis, Pascale screened 18 other patients, candidates for the vaccine. Meanwhile, it is estimated that There are over 40 mRNA anti-cancer vaccines under study worldwide, while new indications for immunotherapy drugs already in use continue to increase. «Such as pembrolizumab, a monoclonal antibody against PD-1, aimed at one of the ‘brakes’ of the immune systemfirst approved for melanoma and last September authorized as a treatment for metastatic kidney cancerfor the Metastatic triple-negative breast cancer and periooperative, for that ofadvanced endometrium and cervixof the carcinoma of the esophagus and some gastric and colon cancers», concludes Professor Ascierto.
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