UF researchers develop mRNA vaccine to treat brain tumors

Evan Axelbank
·2 min read

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - University of Florida researchers are getting a leg up in the fight against one of the most aggressive and devastating types of cancer.

They've developed an mRNA vaccine that can be used to target the brain tumor known as glioblastoma.

JB Bird lives in a Dade City home buried deep in the woods, where it's quiet. And he likes it that way.

"It's very relaxing out here and maybe a little bit cathartic because of that as well," he said.

<div>Pictured: JB Bird</div>
Pictured: JB Bird

For more than nine years, he has fought a form of glioblastoma, a type of cancer that kills 95 percent of adults within just five years.

He wears an electronic treatment device that helps attack tumor cells. He's always listening for word of new treatments.

"We're not going to make progress against this disease without these clinical trials," explained Dr. Elias Sayour, a cancer researcher at UF.

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For seven years, he has been running trials on mRNA vaccines to treat glioblastoma, a way of reprogramming the immune system to understand that the cancer must be healed.

A patient's own tumor cells can be used to create a personalized vaccine.

<div>Glioblastoma kills 95 percent of adults within just five years.</div>
Glioblastoma kills 95 percent of adults within just five years.

"In one human patient where we're really able to re-biopsy this tumor after giving these vaccines, and we didn't see any tumor cells," said Sayour.

They ran trials on four severely ill patients who weren't likely to live six months.

They all lived between eight and ten months.

The hope is to refine dosages and frequencies, and to treat children with cancer by the end of this year.

<div>Dr. Elias Sayour has been running trials on mRNA vaccines for seven years.</div>
Dr. Elias Sayour has been running trials on mRNA vaccines for seven years.

"One of the reasons, honestly, we started in glioblastoma is we believe if we can cure this disease, we should be able to cure all of these cancers."

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Two years ago, Beth Kassab watched her husband, Grady, die from a brain tumor.

She is on the American Brain Tumor Association's leadership advisory council.

<div>Beth Kassab says her husband died from a brain tumor.</div>
Beth Kassab says her husband died from a brain tumor.

"It also appears to have a very quick impact, which is really important in glioblastoma," said Kassab. "I remain cautious about what the next phase and the trials will show. But this is great news."

Because glioblastoma often comes back, patients like Bird must have frequent scans and a never ending supply of hope.

"I think I can just keep going forward," said Bird. "I know I'm very fortunate. And most patients don't have it so easy."

The hope is to use mRNA to treat other forms of aggressive cancer, like melanoma and bone cancer.

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