HERV-K envelope protein vaccine

The HERV-K envelope protein vaccine is an experimental cancer immunotherapy designed to target the human endogenous retrovirus-K (HERV-K) envelope glycoprotein (ENV). This glycoprotein is aberrantly expressed in various malignancies, including breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers, as well as melanoma and leukemia, while remaining transcriptionally silenced in healthy tissues. The vaccine typically utilizes a recombinant modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) vector, often designated as MVA-HKenv, to deliver the HERV-K envelope gene. The mechanism of action involves inducing a robust, antigen-specific immune response, primarily through the activation of CD8+ cytotoxic T cells that recognize and eliminate tumor cells expressing the HERV-K ENV protein. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that targeting the surface (SU) domain of the envelope protein is more effective than the transmembrane (TM) domain in inhibiting tumor growth and preventing metastasis.

Other names

HERV-K env vaccineHERV-K envelope glycoprotein vaccineMVA-HERV-K-env