The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has yielded an unexpected advancement in the pharmaceutical industry with the approval of the first mRNA vaccines, which GlobalData expects will soon impact other indications.
This historical landmark could have significant implications, primarily in the oncology market since mRNA vaccines were being exclusively investigated in infectious and oncology diseases prior to the pandemic. Historically, mRNA vaccines were of interest in the oncology setting because multiple biomarkers could be targeted by this novel mechanism.
Given the current role of immunotherapies in oncology, mRNA vaccines pose a novel approach to trigger immune reactions against cancer cells. However, the novelty of mRNA vaccines has raised regulatory and manufacturing questions in addition to clinical limitations.
Covid-19 approvals showcase potential of mRNA vaccines
The recent approvals of Pfizer / BioNTech’s and Moderna’s mRNA vaccines in healthy patients, complemented by the historically unmatched magnitude to reach healthy patients worldwide, has helped surpass many barriers for mRNA vaccines while highlighting this novel mechanism of action. GlobalData expects this will propagate a new epicenter of interest in pursuing this drug class in oncology.
Currently, there are 44 ongoing clinical trials exploring mRNA vaccines, of which 23 are investigating infectious diseases. This includes Covid-19, which accounts for 60% of those clinical trials. Interestingly, only four out of the 44 clinical trials have made it to Phase III as a result of the sudden and immense demand to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
From an oncology viewpoint, the current pandemic will still serve to provide essential real-world data about the tolerability and effects of mRNA vaccines, since despite their approval and initial vaccination rollout, the long-term efficacy and side effects are still to be understood. As more data are gathered on these vaccines, GlobalData expects an increasing interest in bringing them into the oncology sector.
Key opinion leaders (KOLs) interviewed by GlobalData have repeatedly shown interest in novel mechanisms of action, particularly in immunotherapy. Prior to the pandemic, mRNA vaccines were one of many promising drug classes that were being explored equally with each other, with no expectation about which would be the next to impact the market. However, the sudden rise of mRNA vaccines makes it a prime candidate since there is a current spotlight on this drug class.
A supporting argument for the interest in mRNA vaccines is that out of the 21 ongoing non-infectious disease clinical trials that are exploring mRNA vaccines, all are being developed for oncology indications. Of these 21 trials, only seven are in Phase II, which demonstrates the relatively early stage of mRNA vaccines in oncology. Interestingly, the most represented company in these clinical trials is BioNTech, with seven of the 21 trials, followed by Roche/Genentech with three clinical trials and Moderna Inc with two clinical trials.
Image Credit: Shutterstock
Post by Amanda Scott, NA CEO. Follow her on twitter @tantriclens
Thanks to Heinz V. Hoenen. Follow him on twitter: @HeinzVHoenen
News
New study shows risk factors for dementia – virus causes deposits in the brain
Research into the causes of Alzheimer's is not yet complete. Now a new study shows that head trauma can activate herpes viruses and promote the disease. Frankfurt am Main – As a neurodegenerative disease, [...]
Are Machines Truly Thinking? Modern AI Systems Have Finally Achieved Turing’s Vision
Modern AI systems have fulfilled Turing’s vision of machines that learn and converse like humans, but challenges remain. A new paper highlights concerns about energy consumption and societal inequality while calling for more robust [...]
The Surprising Link Between Smell, Sound, and Emotions
New research reveals how smell and hearing interact in the brain to drive social behavior, using mouse maternal instincts as a model. Imagine you’re at a dinner party, but you can’t smell the food [...]
Brain cells age at different rates
As our body ages, not only joints, bones and muscles wear out, but also our nervous system. Nerve cells die, are no longer fully replaced, and the brain shrinks. "Aging is the most important risk factor [...]
Long COVID Breakthrough: Spike Proteins Persist in Brain for Years
Researchers have discovered that the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein persists in the brain and skull bone marrow for years after infection, potentially leading to chronic inflammation and neurodegenerative diseases. Researchers from Helmholtz Munich and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) have [...]
Water-Resistant Paper Could Revolutionize Packaging and Replace Plastic
A groundbreaking study showcases the creation of sustainable hydrophobic paper, enhanced by cellulose nanofibres and peptides, presenting a biodegradable alternative to petroleum-based materials, with potential uses in packaging and biomedical devices. Researchers aimed to [...]
NIH Scientists Discover Game-Changing Antibodies Against Malaria
Novel antibodies have the potential to pave the way for the next generation of malaria interventions. Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have identified a novel class of antibodies that target a previously unexplored region [...]
Surprising Discovery: What If Some Cancer Genes Are Actually Protecting You?
A surprising discovery reveals that a gene previously thought to accelerate esophageal cancer actually helps protect against it initially. This pivotal study could lead to better prediction and prevention strategies tailored to individual genetic [...]
The Cancer Test That Exposes What Conventional Scans Miss
Researchers at UCLA have unveiled startling findings using PSMA-PET imaging that reveal nearly half of patients diagnosed with high-risk prostate cancer might actually have metastases missed by traditional imaging methods. This revelation could profoundly affect future [...]
Pupil size in sleep reveals how memories are processed
Cornell University researchers have found that the pupil is key to understanding how, and when, the brain forms strong, long-lasting memories. By studying mice equipped with brain electrodes and tiny eye-tracking cameras, the researchers [...]
Stanford’s Vaccine Breakthrough Boosts Flu Protection Like Never Before
Stanford Medicine researchers have developed a new method for influenza vaccination that encourages a robust immune response to all four common flu subtypes, potentially increasing the vaccine’s efficacy. In laboratory tests using human tonsil [...]
Water’s Worst Nightmare: The Rise of Superhydrophobic Materials
New materials with near-perfect water repellency offer potential for self-cleaning surfaces in cars and buildings. Scientists from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG) have developed a surface [...]
Japanese dentists test drug to help people with missing teeth regrow new ones
Japanese dentists are testing a groundbreaking drug that could enable people with missing teeth to grow new ones, reducing the need for dentures and implants, AFP recently reported. Katsu Takahashi, head of oral surgery at [...]
An AI system has reached human level on a test for ‘general intelligence’
A new artificial intelligence (AI) model has just achieved human-level results on a test designed to measure "general intelligence." On December 20, OpenAI's o3 system scored 85% on the ARC-AGI benchmark, well above the previous AI best [...]
According to Researchers, Your Breathing Patterns Could Hold the Key to Better Memory
Breathing synchronizes brain waves that support memory consolidation. A new study from Northwestern Medicine reports that, much like a conductor harmonizes various instruments in an orchestra to create a symphony, breathing synchronizes hippocampal brain waves to [...]
The Hidden Culprit Behind Alzheimer’s Revealed: Microglia Under the Microscope
Researchers at the CUNY Graduate Center have made a groundbreaking discovery in Alzheimer’s disease research, identifying a critical link between cellular stress in the brain and disease progression. Their study focuses on microglia, the brain’s immune [...]
