GSK and the University of Oxford have partnered to launch the GSK-Oxford Cancer Immuno-Prevention Programme, a £50 million initiative focused on developing vaccines to prevent cancer. The program aims to target cells in the precancerous stage, potentially halting the disease up to 20 years before it develops.
The collaboration will leverage Oxford's expertise in precancer biology, including the identification and sequencing of neoantigens, tumor-specific proteins that can stimulate the immune system. GSK will contribute its knowledge of the immune system and vaccine development. The program will explore how cancer develops, informing new vaccination approaches for cancer prevention.
Professor Sarah Blagden, who leads the partnership, noted that cancers can take many years to develop, often remaining invisible during the precancerous stage. The goal of the vaccine is to target this stage, preventing progression to established cancer.
Tony Wood, Chief Scientific Officer at GSK, emphasized the importance of combining the knowledge of Oxford and GSK scientists to explore precancer biology and develop insights for those at risk of cancer. The program will involve researchers from multiple departments across the University of Oxford's Medical Sciences Division.
Currently, over 385,000 people are diagnosed with cancer each year in the UK, with more than 167,000 annual deaths. The collaboration hopes to significantly impact these statistics by preventing cancer development through innovative vaccine strategies.
