Gemechu lab: Therapeutic HPV Vaccine Shows Preclinical Promise Against HPV-Associated Cancers

Recent publication from Dr. Yohannes Gemechu Hailu and his research team published in Molecular Cancer Therapeutics highlights the development of an immunogenic therapeutic vaccine designed to stimulate antigen-specific immune responses against established HPV-driven malignancies. Unlike currently approved prophylactic HPV vaccines, this platform targets HPV E6 and E7 tumor antigens using a modular self-assembling vaccine approach. In preclinical models, the vaccine induced robust CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T-cell responses, increased cytotoxic immune-cell infiltration into tumors, delayed tumor progression, and improved survival, supporting further translational development as a potential treatment for HPV-associated cancers.

MGB press release: https://news.massgeneralbrigham.org/en/new-hpv-vaccine-shows-promise-for-treating-cancer


Publication: New Therapeutic Cancer Vaccine with Lenalidomide Induces Potent T-cell Immunity and Inhibits HPV E6/E7–Expressing Tumor Growth in Mice | Molecular Cancer Therapeutics | American Association for Cancer Research

Bifunctional cancer cell–based vaccine concomitantly drives direct tumor killing and antitumor immunity

Despite the extensive research conducted on cancer vaccines and related therapeutics, glioblastoma remains uncured. Treatment options fall into a combination of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy in an effort to slow tumor growth. In a promising new study led by researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, potential is seen in a new cell therapy that contributes to both the elimination of current tumors and prevention of tumor recurrence, seen in mouse models of glioblastoma. The new cell therapy repurposes live tumor cells with gene engineering, altering these cells to release dual cell-killing and immunomodulatory agents, capable of killing tumor cells and stimulating the immune system for further cancer prevention.
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