Mayo’s KRAS vaccine triggered immune responses in 89 of 90 pancreatic cancer patients
In a randomised phase 2 trial, the off-the-shelf vaccine ELI-002 7P triggered a KRAS-specific T-cell response in 89 of 90 evaluable patients treated after surgery and chemotherapy. Mayo Clinic researchers said the trial did not meet its primary goal: median disease-free survival was 23.8 months with the vaccine and 21.2 months with observation, a difference that was not statistically significant. A phase 3 trial is planned.
Bottom line — The phase 3 trial will test whether ELI-002 7P can delay pancreatic cancer’s return.
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Mayo Clinic said 144 patients with stage 1–3 KRAS-mutated pancreatic cancer took part; 96 received the vaccine and 48 were observed.
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More than eight in ten evaluable patients had a KRAS-specific T-cell response over nine times stronger than before vaccination; stronger responses were associated with longer disease-free survival in an exploratory analysis.
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Mayo Clinic reported that 95.5% of patients evaluable at least 46 weeks after the study began still had a detectable KRAS-specific T-cell response.
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The vaccine targets seven common KRAS mutations. Mayo Clinic said these mutations occur in about 90% of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas.
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Mayo Clinic said overall survival results are not yet available; the immune-response findings do not establish which patients will benefit.