Air of optimism surrounds lung cancer vaccine

Cancer Research UK have announced that the first patient has been dosed in a clinical trial testing a new immunotherapeutic in patients with the most common type of lung cancer.

The MAGE trial will test the safety and effectiveness of VTP-600 and is expected to involve around 86 people who have been recently diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). There are several types of this cancer and it accounts for around 85% of lung cancers in the UK.

The new treatment is made up of three vaccines, one prime and two booster shots, while the initial dose of this immunotherapy contains a chimpanzee adenovirus.

“We are excited to see that the first patient has been treated with the VTP-600 immunotherapeutic vaccine,” Dr Nigel Blackburn, Director of Cancer Research UK’s Centre for Drug Development, said. “NSCLC is the most common type of lung cancer, but remains very hard to treat. If successful, this cutting-edge immunotherapy could provide an effective, much-needed new treatment to help more people survive their lung cancer.”

Lung cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers and is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. It is also the most common lung cancer, with three main types: adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and large cell carcinoma.

These types are often grouped together because they have common behavioural traits and also respond to treatment in a similar way. Smoking is one of the largest risk factors for developing the disease, although factors such as radon exposure and air pollution increase risk.

“There is an urgent need to find better treatments for patients with NSCLC,” reflected Chief investigator for the clinical trial, Professor Fiona Blackhall. “The VTP-600 immunotherapeutic vaccine is a cutting edge technology which targets a patient’s immune system to tackle cancer cells. The trial is planned to open at ten specialist hospitals across the UK, ensuring that as many patients as possible get the opportunity to participate.”