by An experimental vaccine designed to combat human papillomavirus (HPV) has emerged as a potentially effective preventive measure for a rare form of airway cancer. The vaccine, which was tested in a small phase 1 clinical study involving 15 patients, has shown promising results in treating recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP), a cancer that leads to the development of obstructive growths in the airways.
RRP is a debilitating neoplastic disorder caused by chronic infection with HPV types 6 or 11. It is characterized by the growth of papillomas in the upper aerodigestive tract, which require repeated debulking procedures to maintain voice and airway function. Currently, there is no approved medical therapy for RRP, and patients often have to undergo dozens or even hundreds of surgeries throughout their lifetime to manage the condition.
Researchers at the Center for Immune-Oncology, a division of the U.S. National Cancer Institute, conducted a phase 1 trial to test a vaccine strategy aimed at preventing the development of tumors in individuals with RRP. The study utilized a vaccine that targeted HPV and demonstrated the potential to bolster the immune system’s defenses against the disease.
Dr. Scott M. Norberg, lead author of the research, emphasized that the goal of the study was to provide a pathway for the prevention of RRP, a condition for which there is currently no cure. The trial used a therapeutic vaccine that employed a gorilla adenovirus vector to deliver the vaccine payload into the cells of the participants. Different doses of the vaccine, known as PRGN-2012, were administered to patients who had previously developed severe papillomas that were unresponsive to other treatments.
The results of the trial were encouraging, with the patients tolerating the vaccine well and experiencing only mild side effects. In the group treated with the highest dose of the vaccine, half of the participants showed complete responses, meaning they did not require any surgeries in the year following treatment. Analysis indicated that the vaccine worked by expanding peripheral HPV-specific T cells.
The study also found that therapeutic vaccination with PRGN-2012 led to a clinical benefit in half of the patients, with the response being associated with a tumor microenvironment that could promote HPV-specific T-cell responses. Based on the findings of the phase 1 trial, the researchers concluded that further clinical development of PRGN-2012 for patients with RRP is warranted.
Chronic HPV infections caused by HPV types 6 or 11 can lead to the development of RRP, which is characterized by wart-like growths in the upper airways. Current treatment options involve invasive surgical procedures to remove the growths, but they do not address the underlying biological factors that contribute to their occurrence. The results of this study provide hope for patients and oncologists searching for less invasive methods of managing RRP and potentially preventing the cancer altogether.
The study also highlights the potential of therapeutic vaccination in treating virally driven disorders. By developing antigen-directed T cell responses, therapeutic vaccination could offer a new approach to combat a range of diseases. The use of non-human adenoviral vaccine platforms with a large genetic payload capacity allows for the development of T cell responses to multiple antigen targets.
While this phase 1 trial represents an early stage in the research process, the results are significant, as they suggest that therapeutic vaccination may be an effective approach in the treatment of RRP. Further studies and clinical trials will be necessary to explore the full potential of this experimental HPV vaccine and its role in preventing and managing this rare form of cancer.
