Developing a prostate cancer vaccine

Grant information

Institution – Queen's University Belfast
Researcher – Professor Helen McCarthy
Grant award - £275,992
Duration of funding – 2017-2021
Status - Complete
Reference – RIA16-ST2-001

Why did we fund this project?

• Prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body or has come back after treatment can be difficult to treat.  Professor Helen McCarthy and team wanted to develop a vaccine that activates men’s immune systems – their own natural defence mechanisms - to recognise and destroy prostate cancer cells.
• Messenger RNAs (mRNAs) are sets of instructions that determine a cell's shape and function. The team hoped to develop a vaccine using mRNAs found only in prostate cancer cells, not in healthy cells, to train the immune system to recognise prostate cancer.
• mRNAs are quickly broken down in the body, but Professor McCarthy has developed a means of protection, called RALA, that wraps up mRNA and delivers it safely to the immune system.

What did the team do?

• The team analysed samples generously donated by men to look for mRNAs that are found only in prostate cancer cells that have spread to other parts of the body or that have come back after treatment.
• These mRNAs were combined with RALA to see if they could be delivered to the immune system.
• Finally, the mRNA vaccine was tested in mice to see if it activated the immune system and had any effect on prostate cancer growth.

What did the team achieve?

• The team identified several promising mRNAs that are only found in prostate cancer cells. They successfully combined each one with RALA and freeze dried them to enable long-term storage at room temperature.
• After the vaccine was injected into mice, it was detected in the lymph nodes - key components of the immune system - and was found to trigger an immune response.
• Excitingly, a vaccine made with the most effective mRNA was able to stop cancer growth in 50% of treated mice.

What does this mean for men?

• Professor McCarthy will continue her research to identify more mRNAs linked to prostate cancer and work towards testing the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine in men.

• A vaccine that trains men’s immune systems to recognise cancer cells could provide a much-needed treatment for men whose prostate cancer has spread, and as it’s designed not to affect healthy cells, it may have fewer side effects than existing treatments.
• The vaccine could also be used to prevent prostate cancer coming back for men who’ve had surgery or radiotherapy, helping them live longer, healthier lives.