Creating personalized vaccines for childhood cancer treatment
Official title: Personalized neoantigen vaccines using nucleoside-modified mRNA-lipid nanoparticles
Funded at Children's Hosp of Philadelphia · NIH-11074873 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is working on creating special vaccines just for kids with high-risk neuroblastoma, a tough kind of cancer, to help their immune systems fight the disease better and with fewer side effects than regular treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Children's Hosp of Philadelphia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $178,000 |
| NIH project number | 3U01CA281881-02S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11074873 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are children diagnosed with high-risk neuroblastoma who have not responded adequately to standard therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with low-risk neuroblastoma or those whose cancer has metastasized beyond treatable limits may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing personalized vaccines for children with high-risk neuroblastoma, a challenging type of cancer. By identifying unique neoantigens from each patient's tumor, the study aims to create tailored vaccines that can stimulate the immune system to fight the cancer more effectively. The approach involves using nucleoside-modified mRNA encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles to deliver these personalized treatments. This innovative method seeks to improve survival rates and reduce side effects associated with traditional therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective and less toxic treatments for children with high-risk neuroblastoma.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in using personalized neoantigen vaccines for various cancers, indicating potential success for this novel approach in pediatric oncology.
Where this research is happening
-
Children's Hosp of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Maris, John M — Children's Hosp of Philadelphia
- Study coordinator: Maris, John M
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.