Cancer ResearchPersonalized DNA Cancer Vaccine Shows Promise Against Deadly Brain Tumors
Glioblastoma is one of the deadliest brain cancers, with most patients surviving less than 18 months. A new phase 1 trial tested a personalized DNA vaccine called GNOS-PV01 in nine patients with a particularly hard-to-treat form of the disease. Each vaccine was custom-built using up to 40 tumor-specific mutation targets called neoantigens. The vaccine was safe, with no serious side effects, and successfully activated immune cells in nearly all patients. Two-thirds of patients were alive at 12 months, median overall survival reached 16.3 months, and one patient remains alive four years after surgery. While the trial was small and preliminary, results support further investigation of this approach as part of a broader glioblastoma treatment strategy.
