cancer vaccines
Awaiting data on Gritstone's personalized cancer vaccine
We'll soon learn more about how a personalized cancer vaccine from Gritstone Bio performed in Phase 2 studies to treat an "immunologically cold" form of colon cancer. These neoantigen vaccines are tailored to teach a patient's own T cells how to recognize mutated cancer proteins specific to an individual's cancer — and kill them. This particular vaccine is targeting micro satellite-stable colon cancer, a type of tumor that is resistant to immunotherapies.
STAT's Adam Feuerstein takes a look at what we might see coming out of the trial. Investors remain "cautious" and "uncertain" about the results — which is reflected in the company's $200 million market value — but if Gritstone shows that its cancer vaccine works, the upside could be dramatic.
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rsv
Does Moderna's RSV vaccine lose efficacy faster than others?
Analysts at Cowan took a look at follow-up data from Moderna's Phase 3 mRNA vaccine trial for RSV, and found that its efficacy dwindles faster than vaccines made by GSK and Pfizer. Specifically, they point out, the vaccine saw a 25% decline in efficacy after 8.6 months, while GSK saw a 7% decline after 14 months. The endpoints are different, but the analysts "are concerned it could negatively affect [Moderna's RSV vaccine] if confirmed with additional data."
Initial data from Moderna, it should be noted, showed that in the first six months its experimental vaccine was just as effective as GSK's, and perhaps more so than Pfizer's. The CDC will convene an advisory committee on February 28 and discuss Moderna's vaccine candidate.
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