癌症有疫苗了？莫德納、BNT大廠重大突破，mRNA疫苗真的能攻克癌症？

Summary

Recent advancements in cancer vaccines, particularly mRNA technology, have shown promising results. A notable milestone was reached in December 2022, when an mRNA vaccine reduced the risk of recurrence in melanoma patients by 44% when paired with immunotherapy, leading the FDA to classify it as a breakthrough therapy. Ongoing research aims to create personalized vaccines targeting various cancers. While the potential for treating cancer like other illnesses is growing, challenges remain, and opinions on the effectiveness of these new therapies vary. The ultimate goal is to provide long-lasting immunity against cancer, significantly improving patient outcomes.

Takeaways

• 😀 A cancer vaccine has recently shown promising results in clinical trials, significantly reducing the risk of recurrence and death in late-stage melanoma patients by 44%.
• 💉 The melanoma vaccine is an mRNA vaccine, similar in technology to COVID-19 vaccines developed by Moderna and BioNTech.
• 📅 The FDA designated the combination of the melanoma vaccine and immunotherapy as a breakthrough therapy in February 2023.
• 🐶 Researchers are also testing cancer vaccines on animals like mice and pet dogs, focusing on aggressive cancers such as glioblastoma.
• 🔬 The mRNA technology used in these vaccines was initially developed for cancer treatment, showcasing its dual application during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• 📈 During the 2023 ASCO annual meeting, more data revealed that about 80% of patients treated with the vaccine were in remission after 18 months.
• 🤝 The vaccine works by stimulating an immune response while immunotherapy enhances the immune system, creating a synergistic effect against cancer cells.
• 💡 mRNA vaccines are being considered for various cancers, including lung, colorectal, pancreatic, prostate, and ovarian cancers.
• 🧬 Unlike preventive vaccines, cancer vaccines currently focus on treating existing cancers due to the challenges of identifying tumor-specific antigens.
• 🔍 The process of developing personalized cancer vaccines involves several steps, including DNA analysis and mRNA synthesis tailored to the patient’s specific tumor.

Q & A

What significant development in cancer treatment was announced in December 2022?

In December 2022, a cancer vaccine entered the second phase of human clinical trials, showing a 44% reduction in the risk of recurrence or death among patients with advanced melanoma when combined with immunotherapy.

What is the relationship between mRNA technology used in COVID-19 vaccines and cancer vaccines?

The mRNA technology used in COVID-19 vaccines, like those from Moderna and BioNTech, was originally developed for cancer vaccines, making it a foundational technology that accelerated the production of COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic.

What was the FDA's designation for the combined treatment of the melanoma vaccine and Pembrolizumab?

In February 2023, the FDA designated the combined therapy of the melanoma vaccine and Pembrolizumab as a 'breakthrough therapy' due to its significant therapeutic effects.

What were the findings regarding patient remission rates from the clinical trials mentioned?

In the clinical trials, about 80% of the patients in the vaccine plus drug group remained in remission after 18 months, compared to approximately 60% of patients in the control group who only received the drug.

Why are there currently no preventive cancer vaccines on the market?

Preventive cancer vaccines are challenging to develop because cancer cells arise from mutated cells that the immune system often fails to recognize, making it difficult to identify specific antigens to trigger an immune response.

How do the processes of developing cancer vaccines using mRNA technology work?

The mRNA vaccine development process involves extracting a small tumor sample from the patient, analyzing the DNA for mutations, and then designing mRNA that encodes for proteins related to those mutations to stimulate an immune response.

What are the steps involved in creating a personalized cancer vaccine according to BioNTech?

The steps include obtaining the patient's blood and tumor sample, isolating normal and cancer cells, analyzing DNA differences, matching tumor mutations with RNA, designing mRNA, and synthesizing the vaccine, all completed within 4 to 6 weeks.

What has been the historical context regarding cancer vaccine development prior to mRNA technology?

Before mRNA technology, there were very few successful cancer vaccines. The Provenge vaccine was approved in 2010 for prostate cancer, but no new vaccines were launched for over a decade due to various clinical trial failures.

What optimistic predictions did Moderna make about cancer vaccines by 2030?

Moderna expressed confidence that by 2030, they could develop mRNA vaccines for cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and autoimmune diseases, potentially ready within five years.

How does the concept of therapeutic vaccines differ from preventive vaccines?

Therapeutic vaccines are designed to treat existing diseases, like cancer, by stimulating an immune response against tumor cells, whereas preventive vaccines aim to stop diseases before they occur, which has not yet been successfully achieved for cancer.