Immunologic and therapeutic evaluation of a synthetic peptide vaccine for the treatment of patients with metastatic melanoma

SA Rosenberg, JC Yang, DJ Schwartzentruber… - Nature medicine, 1998 - nature.com
SA Rosenberg, JC Yang, DJ Schwartzentruber, P Hwu, FM Marincola, SL Topalian
Nature medicine, 1998nature.com
The cloning of the genes encoding cancer antigens has opened new possibilities for the
treatment of patients with cancer. In this study, immunodominant peptides from the gp100
melanoma-associated antigen were identified, and a synthetic peptide, designed to increase
binding to HLA-A2 molecules, was used as a cancer vaccine to treat patients with metastatic
melanoma. On the basis of immunologic assays, 91% of patients could be successfully
immunized with this synthetic peptide, and 13 of 31 patients (42%) receiving the peptide …
Abstract
The cloning of the genes encoding cancer antigens has opened new possibilities for the treatment of patients with cancer. In this study, immunodominant peptides from the gp100 melanoma-associated antigen were identified, and a synthetic peptide, designed to increase binding to HLA-A2 molecules, was used as a cancer vaccine to treat patients with metastatic melanoma. On the basis of immunologic assays, 91% of patients could be successfully immunized with this synthetic peptide, and 13 of 31 patients (42%) receiving the peptide vaccine plus IL-2 had objective cancer responses, and four additional patients had mixed or minor responses. Synthetic peptide vaccines based on the genes encoding cancer antigens hold promise for the development of novel cancer immunotherapies.
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