When his oncologist at the Institut Curie, the French foundation for cancer research, in Paris suggested he take part in the clinical trial of a therapeutic vaccine designed to prevent a recurrence of his tongue cancer, Hervé F didn't have to be asked twice. "Between a high risk of relapse and the thought that through this vaccine I might have a few more years ahead of me, I didn't hesitate."
The 65-year-old had perviously undergone traditional treatment for his cancer, which was diagnosed in mid-2021 – surgery to remove the tumor, which also led to the removal of a large part of his tongue, followed by radiotherapy sessions. "An extremely painful treatment that ended in January 2022." When we spoke to him by phone he had some difficulty in articulating himself, but Hervé said he was speaking and eating better and better, thanks to rehabilitation.
The date July 25, 2022 remains engraved on his memory. On that day, Hervé F received his first injection. Then came a further 20, one a week for the first six weeks, then every fortnight. "If this vaccine can delay or prevent the return of the cancer, it's a tremendous hope," he said, adding that he was doing well, had regained weight and had not experienced any side effects.
Named TG4050, the vaccine targets ENT cancers, also known as "head and neck cancers" (mouth, pharynx, larynx). Caused by tobacco, alcohol and, in some cases, certain types of papillomavirus, these cancers come with a high risk of recurrence – 50%. The vaccine has been developed by French biotech company Transgene, based in Illkirch-Graffenstaden, just outside Strasbourg in northeastern France, a subsidiary of Institut Mérieux and listed on the stock exchange.
The international trial began in January 2021 in Toulouse, led for France by Jean-Pierre Delord, oncologist and director of the Institut Universitaire du Cancer de Toulouse (IUCT)-Oncopole, and Christophe Le Tourneau, director of the early clinical trials department at the Institut Curie. Thirty-two patients being treated for ENT cancer (negative for HPV, human papillomavirus) were included in this randomized phase 1 clinical trial (16 vaccinated patients and 16 patients in the control group).
Unlike Moderna and BioNTech, which use Messenger RNA (mRNA) to develop their therapeutic vaccines, Transgene relies on "viral vector" technology. The aim is the same: to educate the immune system to spot anomalies to which it does not react. In other words, to stimulate T lymphocytes – the cells capable of recognizing and destroying tumor cells.
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