Researchers at the University of Oxford and University College London have been awarded up to £2.06 million from Cancer Research UK, supported by the CRIS Cancer Foundation, to conduct the world's first clinical trial of a lung cancer prevention vaccine. The groundbreaking Phase I trial of LungVax is expected to begin in summer 2026, subject to regulatory approvals, marking a significant milestone in cancer prevention research.
Revolutionary Approach to Cancer Prevention
LungVax represents a paradigm shift from treating lung cancer to preventing it entirely. The vaccine works by training the immune system to recognize and eliminate abnormal lung cells before they develop into cancer. Professor Sarah Blagden, Professor of Experimental Oncology at the University of Oxford and co-founder of the LungVax project, emphasized the urgent need for this approach: "Lung cancer is lethal and blights far too many lives. Survival has been stubbornly poor for decades. LungVax is our chance to do something to actively prevent this disease."
The vaccine targets specific "red flag" proteins called neoantigens and tumor-associated antigens that appear on the surface of abnormal lung cells during the earliest stages of cancer formation. These proteins are produced by cancer-causing mutations within DNA and serve as distinctive markers that differentiate abnormal cells from healthy tissue.
Advanced Vaccine Technology
LungVax employs ChAdOx2 technology, originally developed by the University of Oxford for the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. This proven platform delivers genetic instructions that train the immune system to recognize tumor antigens on the surface of abnormal lung cells. The goal is to enable the immune system to identify and destroy these early abnormal cells before they progress to cancer.
Professor Mariam Jamal-Hanjani of University College London, University College London Hospital and the Francis Crick Institute, who serves as co-founder and lead for the LungVax clinical trial, highlighted the critical nature of early intervention: "Fewer than 10% of people with lung cancer survive their disease for 10 years or more. That must change, and that change will come from targeting lung cancer at the earliest stages."
Clinical Trial Design and Patient Population
The four-year Phase I trial will focus on determining the optimal dose of LungVax for individuals at high risk of lung cancer while monitoring potential side effects from different dosing regimens. The trial will initially enroll two specific patient populations: individuals who have been diagnosed with early-stage lung cancer and have had it successfully removed but remain at risk of recurrence, and people undergoing lung cancer screening as part of the NHS Lung Cancer Screening Programme in England.
If the trial delivers promising results, the vaccine could be scaled up to larger trials for broader populations at risk of lung cancer. The researchers emphasize that preventative vaccines will not replace smoking cessation as the primary method for reducing lung cancer risk, but could offer a viable complementary approach to preventing some cancers from emerging.
Addressing a Critical Medical Need
Lung cancer represents one of the most challenging oncological conditions, with approximately 48,500 cases diagnosed annually in the UK. Around 72% of lung cancers are caused by smoking, which remains the biggest preventable cause of cancer worldwide. The persistently poor survival rates underscore the urgent need for innovative prevention strategies.
The research builds on years of investigation into cancer biology, particularly understanding the fundamental changes that occur in the earliest stages of disease development. As Professor Blagden noted, "Years of research into the biology of cancer, understanding the fundamental changes which occur in the very earliest stages of the disease, will now be put to the test."
Funding and Support
Cancer Research UK Chief Executive Michelle Mitchell expressed the organization's commitment to cancer prevention: "We want to see a world where more cancers are prevented. We are now at a stage where our knowledge of the biology of cancer, built over years of painstaking research, opens new opportunities to prevent the disease."
The CRIS Cancer Foundation's co-founder, Lola Manterola, emphasized the transformative potential of the research: "Today, science is giving us the chance to change the future of cancer. For the first time, our knowledge of the immune system allows us to envision stopping the disease before it begins."
The LungVax clinical trial represents a crucial first step toward implementing preventative cancer vaccines in clinical practice, potentially transforming the landscape of lung cancer management from treatment-focused to prevention-centered approaches.
