A first-of-its-kind clinical trial is underway offering a potential new weapon in the fight against lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Researchers at Oxford and University College London have begun human trials of LungVax, a vaccine designed to prevent the disease in high-risk individuals. The Phase I trial, slated to begin in 2026, will assess the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness, building on the success of similar viral vector technology used in COVID-19 vaccines.
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A potential breakthrough in the fight against one of the world’s deadliest diseases is on the horizon. Researchers at the universities of Oxford and University College London have begun human trials of LungVax, the first vaccine designed to prevent lung cancer in individuals at high risk of developing the disease.
This development marks a significant step forward in addressing a cancer that remains the leading cause of cancer death in the United Kingdom, accounting for 20% of all cancer fatalities annually. Lung cancer is a major public health concern globally, and preventative measures are urgently needed.
Cancer Research UK, with support from the CRIS Cancer Foundation, will provide £2.06 million (approximately $2.7 million USD) to fund the Phase I clinical trial, which is expected to last four years and begin in 2026.
“Less than 10% of people with lung cancer survive for ten years or more. This needs to change,” said Jamal-Hanjani, the study’s lead researcher, in a statement. “The LungVax clinical trial is the crucial first step towards bringing this vaccine to those most at risk.”
The initial clinical trial will focus on assessing the vaccine’s safety, the immune response it triggers, and identifying which populations are most likely to benefit from the immunization. Researchers will monitor participants’ responses to the vaccination and its feasibility for administration.
“The aim is to get the immune system to recognize and destroy these abnormal cells early on, before they turn into cancer,” explained Sarah Blagden, Professor of Experimental Oncology at the University of Oxford and co-founder of the project.
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How does the lung cancer vaccine work?
The vaccine utilizes a non-replicating viral vector to deliver genetic instructions that enable the immune system to identify abnormal proteins, known as neoantigens. These proteins act as “red flags” that appear on the surface of lung cells when their DNA undergoes mutations that can lead to cancer.
The technology, built upon the same platform as the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, represents a revolutionary approach to cancer prevention. This builds on the success of mRNA vaccine technology in combating infectious diseases.
“Just as we taught the immune system to recognize the spike protein of the coronavirus, we are training it to detect specific lung cancer neoantigens,” Blagden added.
While traditional vaccines, such as the HPV vaccine, prevent infections that can lead to cancer, LungVax directly targets human cells already undergoing malignant transformation. “It’s the difference between preventing the cause and intercepting the consequence,” Blagden explained.
If successful, LungVax could represent a paradigm shift in lung cancer control, moving from treatment to active prevention in high-risk groups. Researchers emphasize that the project builds on the scientific legacy of viral vector vaccines developed during the pandemic, now applied to a new frontier in preventative medicine.
