Study summary

A different mRNA vaccine produced immune cells that can last for years

Autogene cevumeran follow-up · 16 people, phase 1 · Published February 2025, Nature

What was tested

Autogene cevumeran, a personalized mRNA vaccine built from each patient's own tumor, plus atezolizumab and chemotherapy, after surgery for pancreatic cancer, followed for over 3 years.

What they found

• 8 people whose vaccine triggered lasting T cells had not relapsed at a median follow-up of 3.2 years; 8 who did not respond relapsed at a median of 13.4 months.
• Responders' vaccine-induced T cells are estimated to live an average of 7.7 years, some potentially for decades.
• A larger, randomized phase 2 trial (260 people) of the same combination is now underway.

What it means

Very small, but among the longest-lasting immune responses reported from any cancer vaccine. The bigger trial won't read out until around 2031.