• (pressrundown.com)

A new cancer vaccine developed by Elicio Therapeutics has shown promising results in preventing relapse for patients with colon and pancreatic cancers caused by the KRAS mutation. The vaccine uses peptides to bind to the protein albumin, which then creates white blood cells to fight cancer markers in the patient’s blood. In a first-in-human trial, the vaccine showed the potential to lower the risk of relapse in 100% of patients who had surgery to remove their tumors but still had cancer markers in their blood. Although much larger studies are needed to confirm its efficacy, the vaccine could improve survival rates for colon cancer and pancreatic cancer, which has just a 12.5% survival rate after five years. Unlike other experimental cancer vaccines, the shot does not have to be customized to each patient, making it more readily available and less expensive.

The vaccine specifically targets the KRAS mutation in patients with several types of cancer, including pancreatic and colon cancer. The shot is injected in both arms and both legs, for four total shots every week for four weeks. Patients continued with this process every other week for two weeks. However, the shot is meant for patients whose cancer has not spread, excluding those in stage III or IV of the disease. The next phase of the trial will target five additional types of cancers that can have KRAS mutations, including gallbladder, ovarian, and lung cancers. The authors emphasized that this research is still early, and it could take years before this treatment becomes standard practice.

While the exact cost is unclear, this vaccine could be significantly cheaper than other personalized shots since it is an “off-the-shelf” vaccine. The findings of the trial still need to be validated, but the researchers are already recruiting several hundred patients for the next phase. If successful, the vaccine could reduce the risk of recurrence after resection and improve survival rates for patients.