Children’s brain cancer vaccine trial

A world-first Australian clinical trial will test personalised cancer vaccines designed specifically for children with aggressive brain tumours that have returned or stopped responding to treatment.

The PaedNEO-VAX study will be led clinically by SAHMRI paediatric oncologist Professor Jordan Hansford, alongside researchers from The University of Queensland (UQ), with trial sites to be rolled out across paediatric hospitals in South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia.

Researchers will use each child’s tumour genetics to create a customised mRNA vaccine, designed to train the immune system to recognise and attack cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue.

Prof Hansford says children with relapsed or treatment-resistant brain tumours currently have very limited options.

“These are some of the most challenging cancers we treat, and outcomes for children whose tumours return remain very poor,” Prof Hansford said.

“This study gives us the opportunity to test a completely new, personalised approach, using the child’s own tumour to guide treatment. Our hope is this will slow tumour growth and improve both survival and quality of life for patients and their families.”

Brain tumours are the leading cause of cancer-related death in Australian children, highlighting the urgent need for new therapies beyond surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

The study will focus on children and adolescents with relapsed or refractory high-grade brain tumours, as well as newly diagnosed diffuse midline glioma. Phase I will assess the safety of the personalised vaccines, while Phase II will examine whether they can help control tumour progression.

The vaccine technology underpinning the trial has been developed by Professor Brandon Wainwright from UQ’s Frazer Institute, building on advances in mRNA vaccine platforms similar to those used during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The trial is sponsored by the Australia and New Zealand Children’s Haematology and Oncology Group (ANZCHOG) and is supported by a $2.578 million investment from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF). Vaccine manufacturing will be undertaken in Australia, with platform mRNA technology and investment coming from Providence Therapeutics.

Professor Hansford says the national collaboration was critical to making the study possible.

“This trial brings together clinicians, scientists, hospitals and industry partners across the country,” he said.

“It reflects the scale of effort needed to tackle childhood brain cancer and ensures families around Australia have access to this study, not just those in one city.”

Trial recruitment is expected to begin later this year, with researchers hoping the results will lay the foundation for larger trials and future personalised immunotherapies.

Families looking for more information relating to trial eligibility are encouraged to discuss it with their child’s oncologist.