Innovative Personalized Cancer Vaccine Study Launched

Most cancer vaccines are designed to amplify tumor-specific T cell responses through active immunization and are new tools of the development of cancer immunotherapy. 

A Netherlands company has announced that it has positioned itself as a critical partner in a collaborative clinical trial with personalized anti-cancer vaccines.   

In this vaccine study, Pepscan is solely responsible for the production of clinical neoantigen peptides, which are tailored to tumors of each participating person. 

Neoantigens, or tumor-specific antigens, are peptide sequences uniquely identified in proteins expressed in tumor cells from individual patients, said Pepscan in a press release on June 25, 2019.

Pepscan’s in vitro synthesized neoantigen peptides constitute the core active ingredient of the anti-cancer vaccines.   

These vaccines are designed to stimulate the patient’s immune system to attack the tumor, thus stopping or reducing cancerous growth.

Neoantigen vaccination is a novel and rapidly developing personalized cancer treatment, with significant potential for patients. 

Pepscan and its undisclosed partners have successfully started patient enrollment in the clinical trial.   

The patients have received the 1st doses of the neoantigen vaccines, and early results are expected in Q4 2019. 

“This unique project with such renowned European partners is a major step forward for Pepscan.”, says Evert van Dijk, CCO of Pepscan, 

“Our crucial contribution to this clinical trial establishes us as a key supplier of peptide technologies in the cancer vaccine field.”

More than 7000 naturally occurring peptides have been identified, and these often have crucial roles in human physiology, including actions as hormones, neurotransmitters, growth factors, ion channel ligands, or anti-infectives. 

In general, peptides are selective and efficacious signaling molecules that bind to specific cell surface receptors, such as G protein-coupled receptors or ion channels, where they trigger intracellular effects.

Pepscan is a privately held biotech company based in Lelystad, The Netherlands, with over 25 years of experience as a global supplier of peptide-based products & services.