Personalized vaccines for high-risk neuroblastoma
Personalized neuroblastoma vaccines
Testing customized vaccines that teach a child's immune system to find and destroy remaining high-risk neuroblastoma cells.
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 ID | NIH-11146656 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project creates a vaccine tailored to each child's tumor by identifying unique neoantigens from both common and unexpected tumor mutations. Doctors will sequence the tumor, predict and validate the best peptide targets, then assemble a multivalent vaccine designed to activate CD8 T cells. The vaccine is intended to be given after standard therapy to help the immune system eliminate residual cancer and prevent relapse. The team will track safety, immune responses, and whether relapse is reduced.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Children with high-risk neuroblastoma who can provide tumor tissue samples and receive care at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia or a participating network site are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Patients with low-risk disease, those unable to give tumor samples, or those who cannot travel to participating sites may not be eligible or receive benefit from this vaccine approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these personalized vaccines could reduce relapse, improve long-term survival, and lessen toxic side effects from more aggressive treatments.
How similar studies have performed: Personalized neoantigen vaccines have generated immune responses and occasional clinical benefit in some adult cancers, but using this strategy for pediatric high-risk neuroblastoma is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- 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 below.