autologous RCC vaccine

An autologous renal cell carcinoma (RCC) vaccine is a personalized cancer immunotherapy composed of a patient's own irradiated tumor cells. This approach aims to induce a systemic, T-cell-mediated immune response against a broad spectrum of individual-specific tumor-associated antigens. Some formulations, such as the GVAX platform, utilize ex vivo gene transfer (typically via retroviral vectors like MFG) to engineer the tumor cells to secrete granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), which acts as a potent adjuvant by recruiting and activating dendritic cells and macrophages at the injection site. Other versions, like VCC-001 (formerly Reniale), are used in the adjuvant setting following nephrectomy to prevent recurrence. Clinical trials have demonstrated the feasibility and safety of these vaccines, with some evidence of objective tumor regression and induction of delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses characterized by eosinophil and T-cell infiltration.

Brand names

Reniale

Other names

autologous renal cell carcinoma vaccineGVAX renalGM-CSF gene-transduced autologous RCC vaccine