isoAsp-Elavl4 vaccine

The isoAsp-Elavl4 vaccine is an experimental protein-based cancer vaccine designed for the treatment of small cell lung cancer (SCLC). It targets the neuronal protein ELAVL4 (also known as HuD), which is frequently expressed on the surface of SCLC cells. The vaccine's active ingredient is a recombinant fragment of the ELAVL4 protein that has undergone isoaspartylation, a post-translational modification that creates a neo-antigenic epitope. This modification is an immunogenic form of protein damage that appears to be abnormally present in SCLC. The vaccine aims to induce a high-titer autoimmune response against ELAVL4-expressing tumor cells, mimicking a naturally occurring "anti-Hu" antibody response observed in a subset of SCLC patients who show improved survival outcomes. Preclinical studies in mouse models have demonstrated that the vaccine significantly improves survival when administered as a consolidation therapy following standard chemotherapy with cisplatin and etoposide.

Other names

isoaspartylated ELAVL4 vaccineisoAsp-HuD vaccinerecombinant isoaspartylated Elavl4