Neoantigen vaccine report card
Clinical data in 2H22 highlight the field’s evolution
A wave of readouts from four companies in 2H22 is shaping the next act for neoantigen cancer vaccines, with the field’s first randomized-controlled data due this quarter. The emerging picture is that the vaccines, which stimulate immune responses against tumor-specific epitopes, might be most powerful in settings with lower tumor burden, such as resected cancers.
Among this year’s bright spots were Phase I data from BioNTech SE (NASDAQ:BNTX) and the Genentech Inc. unit of Roche (SIX:ROG; OTCQX:RHHBY) showing a dramatic reduction in the risk of tumor recurrence for patients with resected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) who mounted an immune response to the partners’ mRNA-based personalized vaccine autogene cevumeran (BNT122, RO7198457)...