Experimental breast cancer vaccine proves safe in phase 1 clinical trials

REAST cancer is currently the most frequently diagnosed cancer in Nigeria, and globally it is the world’s most prevalent cancer.

According to new phase 1 clinical trial data, a new plasmid Deoxy ribonucleic Acid ( DNA)/ genetic material- based vaccine that is able to target a receptor in breast cancer appears safe.

The non- randomised study showed an increased immune response after vaccination in people with advanced- stage ERBB2positive breast cancer.

According to the World Health Organisation, 2.3 million women were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020, and there were over 7.8 million women alive who had been diagnosed with breast cancer in the previous five years.

Being female is the biggest risk factor for breast cancer, but around one per cent of breast cancers do occur in men. The treatment of breast cancer follows the same principles for both sexes.

Speaking to Medical News Today, Dr. Kotryna Temcinaite, senior research communications manager at Breast Cancer Now explained: “Breast cancer is not a single disease, which makes it more difficult to treat. There are many types of breast cancer and treatments that work well for some people but may not work as well for others. That’s why we need to undertake further research into the disease, develop kinder and smarter treatments.”

Now, new research led by Dr. Mary ( Nora) L. Disis, at the University of Washington Medicine Cancer Vaccine Institute on an experimental vaccine against breast cancer has shown it generates a strong immune response to ERBB2— formerly called HER2— a key tumor protein.

The study is published in the journal JAMA Oncology.

The completed study was a single- arm phase 1 clinical trial that followed 66 people ages 34 – 77 years who had advancedstage ERBB2- positive breast cancer. Researchers analysed the data twice— from January 2012 to March 2013 and from July 2021 to August 2022. Participants were vaccinated with either 10ug, 100ug, or 500ug doses of the plasmid DNA vaccine every month for three months. The researchers measured blood immunity and vaccine toxicity at set time points and assessed the DNA persistence of the vaccine via biopsy samples taken from the vaccine site at 16 and 36 weeks.