NeoVax Cancer Vaccine
All cancer cells harbor genetic mutations, most of which are unique to each patient. A subset of these somatic mutations encodes molecular changes called “neoantigens” that the immune system can recognize and target. Our team can identify these neoantigens by next-generation sequencing and machine learning algorithms.
These have led to the development of our personal cancer vaccine – "NeoVax" – that induces a focused T cell response specifically against multiple tumor neoantigens, beyond what is normally seen with immunotherapies. NeoVax contains up to 20 neoantigens, with each set derived from an individual patient's tumor. This vaccine is administered to the corresponding patient with the goal of stimulating the immune system to specifically attack their cancer. This is how we can create truly personalized cancer immunotherapies.
Over the past decade, Patrick Ott, MD, PhD, a founding member and current Director of the Center for Cancer Vaccines, has conducted multiple collaborative, investigator-initiated studies in patients with a variety of disease types (melanoma, glioblastoma, renal cell carcinoma, ovarian cancer, follicular lymphoma, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia). These studies have demonstrated proof-of-concept data that supports the potential of personalized cancer vaccines (Ott and Hu Nature 2017; Keskin and Anandappa Nature 2019; Braun et al., Nature 2024).
A key feature of our center is strong clinical trial design, along with expertise in fundamental cancer immunology and developing cutting-edge technologies in collaboration with the Translational Immunogenomics Lab (TIGL). Our interdisciplinary team is well positioned to remain at the forefront of personalized cancer immunotherapy.
