GVAX

GVAX is a cell-based biologic immunotherapy developed by researchers at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins for the treatment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The vaccine consists of two allogeneic pancreatic tumor cell lines that have been lethally irradiated and genetically modified to secrete granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Upon intradermal administration, the secreted GM-CSF recruits and activates dendritic cells to the vaccination site, where they engulf the irradiated tumor cells and present a broad spectrum of pancreatic tumor-associated antigens to the patient's T cells. This process primes a systemic, T-cell-mediated immune response against the patient's endogenous cancer cells. GVAX is frequently studied in combination with immunomodulatory agents like low-dose cyclophosphamide or checkpoint inhibitors to enhance its efficacy by overcoming the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment.

Other names

Pancreatic tumor vaccineGM-CSF-secreting allogeneic pancreatic tumor cell vaccineGVAX PancreasLethally irradiated allogeneic pancreatic tumor cells transfected with the GM-CSF gene