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Personalised cancer vaccine hailed as potential ‘game changer’ for worldwide treatment hopes
NHS Tayside and Dundee University are at the forefront of what has been called a potential ‘game changer’ for global cancer treatment which could be rolled out to thousands more study participants
Russell Petty, Professor of Medical Oncology at the University of Dundee and Director of Research and Development at NHS Tayside, is overseeing Europe’s first patient to receive a personalised cancer vaccine — and if initial results are promising, then it could lead on to a much bigger study.
Jennifer Robertson, 60, from Broughty Ferry became that first patient in 2024 after undergoing treatment for gastro-oesophageal cancer, and received an investigational therapy called mRNA-4157 (V940) which was developed by Moderna and MSD.
Her individualised neoantigen therapy (INT) uses similar technology to the first Covid-19 mRNA vaccine administered during the pandemic.
Its components were designed specifically around a biopsy of her tumour by analysing its biological make-up to discover which potential targets for the immune system were present.
It is hoped that the individualised mRNA therapy can enable the patient’s own immune system to attack and destroy those tumour cells, with Jennifer being one of 20 individuals involved in the first stage of the global trial (NCT03313778).
Its components are designed against each patient’s tumour by analysing its biological make-up to discover which potential targets for the immune system are present on the tumour.
Then an individualised mRNA therapy is specifically created to enable the patient’s own immune system to attack and destroy those tumour cells and administered to the patient as an injection.
Tayside Cancer Centre, a University of Dundee and NHS Tayside facility, is globally one of 38 cancer centres running this trial of the mRNA therapy, which is also being investigated in people with non-small cell lung cancer and pancreatic cancer as well as gastric and gastro-oesophageal cancer.
Professor Petty is leading the clinical trial in Scotland. It is also open across the UK with hospitals in London, Manchester and Oxford participating.
Speaking on the thinking behind the personalised vaccine, he said: “It reflects the fact that cancer isn’t just one disease, it’s many different diseases, and each individual patient’s cancer is different, and therefore it makes sense to try and tailor your treatment right down to that individual level.
“It’s really only been in recent years that we’ve had the scientific technology to be able to do that, but it’s part of a pathway of gradually making treatments more precise, more individualised, and this is the most individualised yet.
“We wouldn’t have been doing these trials now if it weren’t for the pandemic.
“At the moment, there are about 80 patients in the world taking part in trials of this type, not just oesophageal and stomach cancer. Obviously if the results look promising, it will be rolled out to a much larger trial involving hundreds, if not thousands, of patients.
“That would be the trial designed to really prove that these are effective treatments, and then beyond that would be when they become available as a routine treatment.”
He believes the trial could be revolutionary for cancer care, adding: “It is potentially a game changer.
“There are lots of things that might happen, but it has the potential to change the way we treat cancer.”
Determined that some good would come from her illness, Jennifer immediately agreed to join the new global trial when approached by Professor Petty. She is now cancer-free and grateful to have played a key role in the trial.
“I said yes straight away, not for a minute thinking it was going to be as big as it was.
“The treatment, a lot of the treatment that I had — I dare say — came around with other cancer research and other people doing trials, even years and years ago.
“The trial’s made me feel like some good has come out of me having cancer. I’m very proud to be part of something so big.”
Professor Petty continued: “I think doing trials in Dundee, in Ninewells and in the medical school here benefits our patients here, but it benefits patients everywhere because of the knowledge it generates.
“It is amazing that we can offer these cutting-edge, world-leading trials in NHS Scotland and in Ninewells and in Dundee.”
Publication date: 5th March 2026
