Contemporary RNA Therapeutics for Glioblastoma

Neuromolecular Med. 2022 Mar;24(1):8-12. doi: 10.1007/s12017-021-08669-9. Epub 2021 Jun 8.

Abstract

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary brain tumor in adults and is universally lethal with a median survival of less than two years with standard therapy. RNA-based immunotherapies have significant potential to establish a durable treatment response for malignant brain tumors including GBM. RNA offers clear advantages over antigen-focused approaches but cannot often be directly administered due to biological instability. This review will focus on utilization of RNA dendritic cell vaccines and RNA nanoparticle therapies in the treatment of GBM. RNA-pulsed dendritic cell vaccines have been shown to be safe in a small phase I clinical trial and RNA-loaded nanoparticle vaccines will soon be underway in GBM patients (NCT04573140).

Keywords: Dendritic cells; Glioblastoma; Immunotherapy; Nanoparticles; RNA; Vaccine.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Brain Neoplasms* / genetics
  • Brain Neoplasms* / therapy
  • Cancer Vaccines* / therapeutic use
  • Clinical Trials, Phase I as Topic
  • Dendritic Cells / pathology
  • Glioblastoma* / genetics
  • Glioblastoma* / therapy
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy
  • RNA / genetics
  • RNA / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Cancer Vaccines
  • RNA

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT04573140