Málaga Regional University Hospital participates in melanoma vaccine trial

Málaga Regional University Hospital has been part of an international phase 3 clinical trial studying a personalised mRNA vaccine to reduce the risk of relapse in high-risk melanoma patients. This study involves patients who have undergone surgery.

Notable participation from the Regional Hospital

In the trial, which includes six hospitals in Spain, the Regional Hospital of Málaga has contributed 24 of the 71 patients initially evaluated, representing nearly 34% of the national total. Of these, 15 have ultimately been included in the study.

The pharmaceutical companies Moderna and MSD are the promoters of this trial, whose preliminary results have shown significant advances in the efficacy of this new therapy.

Details about the vaccine and its effectiveness

The main novelty of this vaccine is that it is developed individually for each patient. It uses mRNA technology, similar to that used in some COVID-19 vaccines, but with the difference that it is specifically designed according to the tumour characteristics of each individual.

For its development, a sample of the melanoma must be obtained through surgery. The tumour tissue is analysed in comparison with healthy tissue to identify distinguishing characteristics. Up to 34 tumour-specific neoantigens are selected for inclusion in the vaccine, thereby seeking a targeted immune response.

The clinical trial is designed to verify whether the combination of the personalised vaccine with standard immunotherapy treatment improves outcomes in these patients. It is not a preventive vaccine, but a therapeutic strategy for those who have already been diagnosed with melanoma and face a high risk of relapse.

Medical oncologist Miguel Berciano, coordinator of the trial at Málaga Regional University Hospital, has emphasised that the results obtained reinforce a promising line of research, steering towards a more personalised oncology.

Multidisciplinary collaboration is essential in this type of trial, involving specialists from medical oncology, surgery, dermatology, and pathology. This coordination is crucial from sample collection to the proper processing for the production of personalised treatments.

However, the complexity of the process means that not all evaluated patients will ultimately be candidates to receive the vaccine, as specific criteria must be met and adequate samples must be available.