Target Market Overview

Brain tumors are generally divided into two categories: primary brain tumors, which originate from the tissues within the skull, and metastatic brain tumors, which spread to the brain from cancers in other organs. Primary brain tumors are relatively rare, with an estimated 11 to 12 cases per 100,000 people annually, resulting in approximately 13,000 to 14,000 new cases each year.

Among these conditions, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) stands out as the most aggressive and difficult to treat with current therapeutic options. Despite advances in surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, survival rates remain low, highlighting the urgent need for innovative and more effective treatments.

Technical Background

Brain tumors such as glioblastoma are notoriously resistant to standard therapies, making long-term survival challenging. To address this unmet medical need, research has focused on personalized peptide vaccines designed to stimulate the immune system against tumor-specific antigens.

Peptide-based cancer vaccines have shown promise in other types of cancers, and early studies suggest that similar strategies could provide clinically meaningful benefits in brain tumors. This approach harnesses the body’s immune defenses, offering a potential breakthrough in the treatment of glioblastoma.

Research and Development Overview

A Phase I clinical trial investigating a personalized peptide vaccine for glioblastoma has already been conducted. In this study, patients who had tested positive for HLA-A24 and whose glioblastoma had proven resistant to initial treatments such as radiochemotherapy or postoperative radiotherapy, received the experimental therapy alone.

The trial assessed both safety and preliminary efficacy, demonstrating that peptide vaccination can be administered to glioblastoma patients with acceptable tolerability while providing insights into its potential as a novel therapeutic option.