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I remember seeing a comment by a NET Specialist on twitter saying, “We need vaccines”. This was in response to a tweet from another NET Specialist reporting dismal data from an immunotherapy drug for Neuroendocrine Carcinomas. In 2020/2021, the word vaccine has been used a lot, but this specialist was not inferring anti-viral treatment, he was talking about “cancer vaccines”, an emerging discipline in science where vaccines act as an immunostimulant to treat cancer. This prompted me to look around and found this trial which may be of interest to you. However, before anyone gets too excited, this is very early days in the study of SurVaxM in Neuroendocrine Cancer. The vaccine is also being trialed in in Malignant Glioma/gliomablastoma (brain tumours) and Multiple Myeloma (blood cancer).
SurVaxM is a first-of-its-kind, patented peptide mimic immunotherapeutic vaccine (immunotherapy) that targets survivin, a cell-survival protein present in 95 percent of glioblastomas and many other cancers. It is engineered to recognize survivin-expressing cancer cells as foreign and stimulate patients’ own immune response to control tumor growth and recurrence. While vaccines are typically thought of as ways to prevent diseases, vaccines can also be used in a therapeutic mode as an immunostimulant (e.g., to treat cancer). SurVaxM is delivered through simple subcutaneous injection. MimiVax is leading on this. It’s a privately held, clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of immunotherapeutic vaccines and targeted therapies for the treatment of cancer. Their proprietary product portfolio is based on technology licensed from Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center that targets survivin, a cell-survival protein that is present in most cancers and rarely detectable in normal tissue. Their therapies are designed to stimulate immune responses to control tumor growth and recurrence. MimiVax has an exclusive license to globally commercialize SurVaxM, as well as an extensive worldwide patent portfolio for SurVaxM and other products in development.
This phase I trial studies the side effects of survivin long peptide vaccine and how it works with the immune system in treating patients with neuroendocrine tumors that have spread to other parts of the body (metastatic). Tumor cells make proteins that are not usually produced by normal cells. The body sees these proteins as not belonging and sends white blood cells called T cells to attack the tumor cells that contain these proteins. By vaccinating with small pieces of these proteins called peptides, the immune system can be made to kill tumor cells. Giving survivin long peptide vaccine to patients who have survivin expression in their tumors may create an immune response in the blood that is directed against neuroendocrine tumors. Also, worth nothing this is a very small trial (estimated 10 patients) and as it’s been running for 2 years, is likely to be filled (…..however, worth checking if interested). See link to the clinical trial document here.
Always check the inclusion and exclusion criteria on any clinical trial. It’s important to note these 3 criteria (but there are many other inclusion and exclusion criteria to look at)
I read an update in 2021 from ASCO as follows:
Methods: Ten eligible pts with any grade metastatic GEP/lung origin NETs that are survivin positive by immunohistochemistry and have progression on SSA within the last 6 months on two CT scans >4 weeks apart per RECIST v1.1 are being enrolled. Pts receive a fixed dose of 500 mcg of SurVaxM in Montanide ISA 51 subcutaneously along with 100 mcg of GM-CSF q2 weeks X 4 doses. SSA is continued at the same dose as before. Pts free of progression and toxicity at 6 months get extra doses of SurVaxM q12 weeks, up to 1 year. Subjects are assessed continuously for safety per NCI CTCAEv5.0. Response assessment via CT scans per RECIST v1.1 q12 weeks. Primary objective is to assess safety of SurVaxM +/- SSA. Secondary objectives are to assess overall response rate, progression free survival, duration of response and vaccine immunological response (anti-survivin antibody titers and survivin-specific CD8 T-cell responses). Safety analysis is per Pocock stopping boundary with the assumption of true toxicity of 0.2 and unacceptable toxicity of 0.3 at a significance level of 0.05.To this date, eight patients were screened out of which five patients were enrolled. One patient did not meet the eligibility criterion due to negative survivin staining and the other two did not meet the RECIST v1.1 progression criterion. Of the five pts enrolled, two were of lung origin, two of GEP, and the remainder one of thymic origin. Three pts had high grade neuroendocrine carcinoma, one patient had atypical bronchial tumor and one with low-grade NET. Currently, two pts remain on the study. The enrollment is ongoing.
Read more here
Minivax Website: Click here
Clinical Trials Document: Click here
NET Research Foundation coverage: Click here
Roswell Park Trial page: Click here
Worth noting this trial is in collaboration with Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center (led by Dr Renuka Iyer), the US National Cancer Institute (NCI) and NET Research Foundation.
Also check out an excellent summary of the trial including a patient story and a video clip from Dr Iyer over on NET Research Foundation – click here
UK launched a cancer vaccine initiative in 2024. Very exciting, read by clicking here or on the graphic below.
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided in the clinical trials document. It’s very important to check the trial inclusion and exclusion criteria before making any contact. If you need questions, the articles here is very useful Questions to Ask About Clinical Trials | Cancer.Net
The inclusion of any trial within this blog should not be taken as a recommendation by Ronny Allan.
I am not a doctor or any form of medical professional, practitioner or counsellor. None of the information on my website, or linked to my website(s), or conveyed by me on any social media or presentation, should be interpreted as medical advice given or advised by me.
Neither should any post or comment made by a follower or member of my private group be assumed to be medical advice, even if that person is a healthcare professional. Some content may be generated by AI which can sometimes be misinterpreted. Please check any references attached.
Please also note that mention of a clinical service, trial/study or therapy does not constitute an endorsement of that service, trial/study or therapy by Ronny Allan, the information is provided for education and awareness purposes and/or related to Ronny Allan’s own patient experience. This element of the disclaimer includes any complementary medicine, non-prescription over the counter drugs and supplements such as vitamins and minerals.
Whenever I post about a trial or study, some people get excited without understanding that these new treatments and capabilities can very often take years to come to fruition and it’s also possible that clinical trials can be halted, or that national approval agencies will not approve the final product. Plus, not everyone will be eligible, so always check the exclusion and inclusion criteria in the relevant clinical trials document. Please bear that in mind when reading studies/clinical trials posted on RonnyAllan.NET
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