Overview

• University of Florida scientists created a generalized mRNA vaccine that broadly activates the immune system instead of targeting specific tumor antigens.
• The formulation stimulated PD-L1 expression within tumors, making them more responsive to PD-1 checkpoint-inhibitor therapy.
• In melanoma models, combining the vaccine with a PD-1 inhibitor produced strong antitumor responses and in skin, bone and brain cancer models the vaccine alone eradicated tumors.
• Published July 18 in Nature Biomedical Engineering, the study establishes proof of concept for an off-the-shelf universal cancer-vaccine paradigm.
• Researchers are refining mRNA formulations and laying the groundwork for the first human clinical trials.