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. 2024 Oct 4;22:601. doi: 10.1186/s12951-024-02882-x

Table 3.

Selected therapeutic mRNA-based vaccines for glioblastomas in clinical trials

NCT number Study title Study status Conditions Interventions Results Current responsible party Study phase Enrollment
NCT00846456 Safe study of DC-based therapy targeting CSCs in GBM Completed

GBM

Brain tumor

BIOLOGICAL: DC vaccine with mRNA from CSCs Progression-free survival: 694 days (vaccinated) vs. 236 days (controls, p = 0.0018). OS trend: 759 days (vaccinated) vs. 585 days (controls, p = 0.11). Specific T-lymphocyte proliferation in response to tumorsphere lysate, hTERT, or survivin peptides. MRI findings showed initial increase in contrast-enhancing lesions followed by a significant reduction Steinar Aamdal, Oslo University Hospital 1 and 2 20
NCT02529072 Nivolumab with DC vaccines for recurrent brain tumors Completed

Malignant GBM

Astrocytoma

GBM

DRUG: nivolumab

BIOLOGICAL: DC

Group I: nivolumab 3 mg/kg IV every 2 weeks for 8 weeks

Group II: nivolumab 3 mg/kg IV + DC vaccine every 2 weeks for 3 doses, then surgery, followed by nivolumab every 2 weeks and DC vaccine monthly for 5 more doses

Group II showed a longer median OS (15.3 months) compared to Group I (8.0 months)

Progression-free survival was also longer in Group II (6.3 months) compared to Group I (4.3 months)

Serious adverse events were more common in Group II (66.67%) compared to Group I (33.33%)

Gary Archer, Duke University 1 6
NCT02808364 Personalized cellular vaccine for recurrent GBM (PERCELLVAC2) Completed GBM Personalized cellular vaccine consisting of mRNA tumor antigen pulsed autologous DCs administered biweekly Antigen-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses were induced without obvious autoimmune adverse events Jian Zhang, Guangdong 999 Brain Hospital 1 10
NCT00626483 Basiliximab in treating patients with newly diagnosed GBM undergoing targeted immunotherapy and TMZ-caused lymphopenia Completed Malignant neoplasms brain

Basiliximab [20 mg or 40 mg (two doses per cycle)]

Temozolomide (TMZ) [75 mg/m2 (during RT), 150–200 mg/m2 (post-RT)]

RNA-loaded DC vaccine (2 × 107 cells per dose, administered monthly)

GM-CSF (administered intradermally with each vaccine)

Radiotherapy (RT) (stereotactic, concurrent with initial TMZ course)

Not reported Gary Archer, Duke University 1 34
NCT02366728 DC migration study for newly diagnosed GBM Completed

GBM

Astrocytoma, grade IV

Giant cell GBM

GBM

Group I: 1 × 106 unpulsed DCs (0.4 mL) one side of groin + 2 × 107 CMV pp65-LAMP DCs (up to 10 vaccines) + 111In-labeled DCs (4th vaccine) + temozolomide (150–200 mg/m2/d) + Saline (0.4 mL) opposite groin

Group II: Td toxoid (1 flocculation unit, 0.4 mL) one side of groin + 2 × 107 CMV pp65-LAMP DCs (up to 10 vaccines) + 111 In-labeled DCs (4th vaccine) + temozolomide (150–200 mg/m2/d) + Saline (0.4 mL) opposite groin

Group III: basiliximab (20 mg I.V. pre-vaccines) + Td toxoid (1 flocculation unit, 0.4 mL) one side of groin + 2 × 107 CMV pp65-LAMP DCs (up to 10 vaccines) + temozolomide (150–200 mg/m2/d) + saline (0.4 mL) opposite groin

Group I: 25 participants, 23 completed, 4 not completed; Median OS: 16 months; median progression-free survival: 6.5 months; % of 111 In-labeled DCs migrating to inguinal lymph nodes: 6.0%

Group II: 27 participants, 27 completed, 1 not completed; median OS: 20 months; median progression-free survival: 6.7 months; % of 111In-labeled DCs migrating to inguinal lymph nodes: 9%

Group III: 8 participants, 8 completed, 1 not completed; median OS: 19 months; median progression-free survival: 7.1 months; % of 111In-labeled DCs migrating to inguinal lymph nodes: not collected

Mustafa Khasraw, Duke University 2 64
NCT00890032 Vaccine therapy in treating patients undergoing surgery for recurrent GBM Completed Recurrent CNS neoplasm

BIOLOGICAL: BTSC mRNA-loaded DCs

Initial dose: 2 × 106 BTSC mRNA-loaded DCs

Escalation: 5 × 106, 2 × 107 per vaccination

Not reported John Sampson, Duke University 1 50
NCT00639639 Vaccine therapy in treating patients with newly diagnosed GBM Completed Malignant neoplasms of brain

BIOLOGICAL: tetanus toxoid

BIOLOGICAL: therapeutic autologous DCs

BIOLOGICAL: therapeutic autologous lymphocytes

Not reported Gary Archer, Duke University 1 42
NCT04741984 Monocyte antigen carrier cells for newly diagnosed GBM Withdrawn GBM BIOLOGICAL: MT-201-GBM monocyte vaccine [monocytes isolated from patient’s leukapheresis loaded with CMV pp65-LAMP (lysosomal-associated membrane protein) mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid)] Not reported Michael Gunn, Duke University 1
NCT03927222 Immunotherapy targeted against CMV in patients with newly diagnosed WHO grade IV unmethylated GBM Terminated GBM

BIOLOGICAL: human CMV pp65-LAMP mRNA-pulsed autologous DCs containing GM CSF (2 × 107 cells, intradermally, bilaterally at groin site)

DRUG: temozolomide (100 mg/m2/day for 21 days post-RT)

BIOLOGICAL: tetanus–diphtheria toxoid (Td) (0.5 mL intramuscularly, 0.4 mL intradermally)

BIOLOGICAL: GM-CSF (250 mcg, reconstituted in 0.5 mL of sterile water)

BIOLOGICAL: 111-indium-labeling of cells for in vivo trafficking studies (50 μCi/5 × 107 DCs labeled)

Not reported Mustafa Khasraw, Duke University 2 6
NCT04911621 Adjuvant DC immunotherapy for pediatric patients with high-grade GBM or diffuse intrinsic pontine GBM Active_not_Recruiting

High-grade GBM

diffuse intrinsic pontine GBM

BIOLOGICAL: DC vaccination + TMZ-based chemoradiation

BIOLOGICAL: DC vaccination + conventional next-line treatment

Not reported University Hospital, Antwerp 1 and 2 10
NCT02465268 Vaccine therapy for the treatment of newly diagnosed GBM Active_not_Recruiting

GBM|GBM

Malignant GBM

Astrocytoma, grade IV

GBM

Experimental: pp65-shLAMP DC with GM-CSF and Td

Experimental: pp65-flLAMP DC with GM-CSF and Td

Placebo comparator: unpulsed PBMC and saline

Not reported University of Florida 2 175
NCT03688178 DC migration study to evaluate TReg depletion In GBM patients with and without Varlilumab Active_not_Recruiting GBM

Group 1: DC vaccine (unpulsed DC pre-conditioning), temozolomide, up to 10 DC vaccines

Group 2: DC vaccine (Td pre-conditioning), temozolomide, up to 10 DC vaccines

Group 3: DC vaccine + varlilumab (Td pre-conditioning), temozolomide, up to 10 DC vaccines, and varlilumab infusions

Not reported Annick Desjardins, Duke University 2 43
NCT04573140 A study of RNA-lipid particle (RNA-LP) vaccines for newly diagnosed pediatric high-grade GBMs (pHGG) and adult GBM Recruiting Adult GBM BIOLOGICAL: autologous total tumor mRNA and pp65 full length lysosomal associated membrane protein mRNA loaded DOTAP liposome vaccine administered intravenously (RNA loaded lipid particles, RNA-LPs) Not reported University of Florida 1 28
NCT05938387 Safety and tolerability of CVGBM in adults with newly diagnosed MGMT-unmethylated GBM or astrocytoma Recruiting GBM

Dose escalation (part A):

– Dose level -1: CVGBM 6 μg

– Dose level 1: CVGBM 12 μg

– Dose level 2: CVGBM 25 μg

– Dose level 3: CVGBM 50 μg

– Dose level 4: CVGBM 100 μg

Dose expansion (part B):

– CVGBM 100 μg (RDEa)

Not reported CureVac 1 54
NCT03396575 Brain stem GBMs treated with adoptive cellular therapy during focal radiotherapy recovery alone or with dose-intensified TMZ Recruiting

Diffuse intrinsic pontine GBM (DIPG)

Brain stem GBM

BIOLOGICAL: TTRNA-DC vaccines with GM-CSF

BIOLOGICAL: TTRNA-xALT

DRUG: cyclophosphamide + fludarabine lymphodepletive conditioning|DRUG: dose-intensified TMZ

DRUG: Td vaccine

BIOLOGICAL: autologous HSC

Not reported University of Florida 1 21
NCT02649582 Adjuvant DC-immunotherapy plus TMZ in GBM patients Recruiting GBM BIOLOGICAL: DC vaccine plus TMZ chemotherapy (150–200 mg/m2/d temozolomide) Not reported Zwi Berneman, University Hospital, Antwerp 1 and 2 20

GBM: glioblastoma; DCs: dendritic cells; WHO: World Health Organization; GM-CSF: granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor; CMV: cytomegalovirus; TReg: regulatory T cells; PD-L1: programmed death-ligand 1; LPs: lipid nanoparticles; CSCs: cancer stem cells; BTSCs: brain tumor stem cells; Td: tetanus–diphtheria toxoid; DIPG: diffuse intrinsic pontine GBM; TMZ: temozolomide; HSCs: hematopoietic stem cells