Discover a groundbreaking universal cancer vaccine showing promise in preventing pancreatic cancer recurrence. Learn how this 'off-the-shelf' vaccine works and its potential impact.
This recently published phase 1 clinical trial studied an experimental cancer vaccine called ELI-002 2P, designed to target KRAS mutations found in pancreatic and colorectal cancers. The trial included 25 participants:
20 with pancreatic cancer
5 with colorectal cancer
Standard Treatment Before the Vaccine
All participants had previously undergone standard treatments such as:
Surgery
Chemotherapy Despite these treatments, they remained at high risk for recurrence—with minimal residual disease detected.
Vaccine Details
The ELI-002 2P vaccine:
Is described as “off-the-shelf”, meaning it’s not individually personalized, but can be mass-produced and administered quickly.
Targets common KRAS mutations (KRAS-G12D and KRAS-G12R) found in these cancers.
Delivered as six priming doses, injected around lymph nodes to boost cancer-specific immune responses.
Key Results from the Study
About 85% (21 out of 25 participants) mounted an immune response to the KRAS mutations.
Two-thirds of patients (about 68%) developed strong, vaccine-specific T cell responses—both CD4+ (helper) and CD8+ (killer) T cells.
Patients with stronger T cell responses lived longer and had a longer recurrence-free survival:
Average overall survival: Nearly 29 months post-vaccination
Average recurrence-free survival: Over 15 months
The vaccine was well tolerated, with mild side effects like soreness and fatigue, and no serious adverse events.
Scientific Impact
The trial provides early evidence that off-the-shelf vaccines like ELI-002 2P can activate durable anti-tumor immunity in high-risk patients, especially those who have already completed standard treatments. This is notable because targeting KRAS mutations has been a long-standing challenge in oncology development.
Larger, randomized phase 2 trials are now ongoing to validate these findings and determine whether immune response improvements translate into significantly better long-term outcomes.
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