Combining a special vaccine with immunotherapy for recurrent ovarian cancer

A phase I/II study of combined therapy with Th17-inducing dendritic cells and pembrolizumab in patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer

NIH-funded research Mayo Clinic Jacksonville · NIH-11114072

This research combines a unique vaccine with an immunotherapy drug to help patients with ovarian cancer that has returned.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionMayo Clinic Jacksonville NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Jacksonville, United States)
Project IDNIH-11114072 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

Ovarian cancer can be challenging to treat, especially when it comes back. Immunotherapy drugs, which help your body's immune system fight cancer, haven't always worked well on their own for this type of cancer. This project aims to boost the immune system's ability to fight ovarian cancer by first giving a special vaccine that targets cancer cells. This vaccine is designed to create a strong immune response, which we hope will then make the immunotherapy drug more effective in shrinking tumors.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: This opportunity is for patients who have recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer.

Not a fit: Patients whose ovarian cancer has not returned or who are not suitable for immunotherapy may not benefit from this specific approach.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this combined approach could offer a new and more effective treatment option for patients with recurrent ovarian cancer.

How similar studies have performed: A previous early-stage clinical trial of the vaccine alone showed that it successfully generated strong immune responses in nearly all ovarian cancer patients.

Where this research is happening

Jacksonville, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.