Vaccine to prevent early lung cancer
Lung Cancer Vaccine
An RNA vaccine targeting the XAGE-1b antigen aims to boost immune cells to stop small premalignant lung nodules from becoming invasive cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11166710 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Screening CT scans often find small non-solid lung nodules that can later turn into invasive adenocarcinoma, and this project focuses on those early lesions. Researchers are making a lipid nanoparticle (LNP) RNA vaccine that carries the XAGE-1b tumor antigen and testing it in laboratory and animal models designed to mimic early lung cancer. The vaccine is intended to increase helper and killer T cell activity while lowering suppressive regulatory T cells in the nodule environment. The team will manufacture and optimize the LNP-RNA vaccine in collaboration with a shared resource to prepare for translation toward patient use.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with CT-detected non-solid (ground-glass) lung nodules or early-stage/minimally invasive adenocarcinoma would be the ideal candidates for this line of work.
Not a fit: Patients with advanced or metastatic lung cancer are unlikely to benefit from this preventive vaccine approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could prevent premalignant lung nodules from progressing to invasive lung cancer, reducing the need for surgery or more aggressive treatments.
How similar studies have performed: mRNA-LNP vaccines have produced strong immune responses in infectious disease and early cancer trials, but preventing progression of premalignant lung nodules with this strategy is still largely unproven.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Altorki, Nasser Khaled — Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ
- Study coordinator: Altorki, Nasser Khaled
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.