Madhav Dhodapkar, MD (Damon Runyon-Lilly Clinical Investigator ‘02-‘07), Yale Cancer Center, New Haven, reported positive results from a Phase 1 clinical trial using a cancer vaccine called CDX-1401, which activates the patient’s immune system against cancers that express the tumor marker NY-ESO-1. In 45 patients with advanced malignancies (melanoma or non-small cell lung cancer), thirteen patients experienced stabilization of disease and two patients had tumor regression. Six of eight patients who received immune-checkpoint inhibitors such as Yervoy within 3 months after CDX-1401 administration had tumor regression. This study represents a promising approach for the next generation of vaccines against pathogens and cancer. The findings were published in Science Translational Medicine.
