Mayo Clinic vaccine shows promise in pancreatic cancer trial

A randomized phase 2 clinical trial led by Mayo Clinic researchers has demonstrated that an investigational vaccine can prompt immune responses against KRAS mutations, which drive approximately 90% of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas.

Published in Nature Medicine, the study found that nearly every patient evaluated developed an immune response against the mutated gene. An exploratory analysis indicated that patients exhibiting stronger immune responses tended to achieve longer disease-free survival times.

Unlike personalized cancer vaccines, this vaccine is designed as an ‘off the shelf’ treatment targeting seven of the most common KRAS mutations. It works by traveling to the lymph nodes to help T cells identify and attack cancer cells. These findings will inform the design of upcoming phase 3 clinical trials.