KRAS mRNA vaccine (Soochow University)

The KRAS mRNA vaccine is an investigational cancer immunotherapy developed by The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University. This vaccine utilizes messenger RNA (mRNA) technology to encode specific mutated epitopes of the Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS), a protein frequently mutated in various malignancies including lung, colorectal, and pancreatic cancers. Upon intramuscular administration, the mRNA is taken up by host cells and translated into mutant KRAS protein fragments, which are then presented to the immune system. This process is designed to stimulate a robust, mutation-specific T-cell response, specifically activating cytotoxic T lymphocytes to recognize and destroy tumor cells expressing the mutated KRAS oncoprotein. The vaccine is currently being evaluated in an exploratory clinical study (NCT07004244) to assess its safety and efficacy as a monotherapy or in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with advanced solid tumors.

Other names

KRAS-mutant mRNA vaccinemRNA vaccine targeting KRAS mutations