Doctors at Dana-Farber are developing a therapeutic cancer vaccine, targeted to patients with smoldering myeloma.
Smoldering Multiple Myeloma – Multiple Myeloma – OncoPep
“The medical community has shown growing interest in treating patients in the early stage of MM, called smoldering multiple myeloma, which may have the potential to prevent the progression of this cancer.”
“OncoPep is advancing PVX-410, a novel therapeutic cancer vaccine. PVX-410 contains four proprietary peptides designed to specifically target MM cells, with the goal of “training” the immune system to recognize and attack the cancer cells before the cancer advances.”
This vaccine will, “stimulate the patient’s immune system to attack his or her cancer through an optimized combination of disease-specific peptides and adjuvants (substances that stimulate the immune system).”
“The initial clinical target is smoldering multiple myeloma, a precursor disease to MM for which there are no approved treatments. The Company plans to initiate a Phase 1 trial in the U.S. for PVX-410 in smoldering multiple myeloma in early 2013.”
When I asked about this vaccine at an appointment a couple months ago my doctor asked me if I had ever seen the movie I Am Legend. Heh. Kinda scary! But, in all seriousness, hopefully this is promising. :)