melanoma helper peptide vaccine (ECOG)

The melanoma helper peptide vaccine (ECOG) is a peptide-based cancer vaccine developed by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) for the treatment of metastatic melanoma. It was specifically evaluated in the randomized Phase II trial E1602 (NCT00083356). The vaccine consists of a mixture of helper T-cell (HTL) epitopes derived from melanoma-associated antigens, including MAGE-3, gp100 (PMEL), and tyrosinase. These peptides are designed to be presented by MHC class II molecules to activate CD4+ helper T cells. The activation of these helper T cells is intended to provide essential cytokine support and co-stimulatory signals that enhance the induction, expansion, and long-term persistence of tumor-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). In clinical trial settings, this vaccine was typically administered via injection in combination with incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA) and sometimes supplemented with sargramostim (GM-CSF) or other immunomodulators to maximize the anti-tumor immune response.

Other names

melanoma helper peptide vaccinemelanoma helper T-cell peptide vaccineHTL peptide vaccine