October 4, 2024: The University of Oxford, recognised for its contributions to medical science, has secured funding up to £600,000 over the next three years from Cancer Research UK to develop OvarianVax, the first vaccine designed to prevent ovarian cancer. 

In this project, the Cancer Research UK-funded scientists will identify the key targets for the vaccine. They aim to discover which proteins on the surface of early-stage ovarian cancer cells are most effectively recognised by the immune system, as well as how well the vaccine can eliminate mini-models of ovarian cancer known as organoids.

In the UK, there are approximately 7,500 new cases of ovarian cancer diagnosed each year, making it the sixth most common cancer among women. Currently, there is no screening program for the disease, and some women with inherited gene mutations are at a higher risk. If successful, this research will pave the way for clinical trials of the vaccine. The ultimate goal is to offer women this vaccine as a preventive measure against ovarian cancer.

Women with altered BRCA1 genes face a risk increase of up to 65%, while those with altered BRCA2 genes have a risk increase of up to 35% compared to women without these genetic changes. As a precaution, women with BRCA1/2 mutations are often advised to undergo oophorectomy by the age of 35, which can impact their fertility and lead to early menopause.

In an official media release, Director of the Ovarian Cancer Cell Laboratory, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine at the University of Oxford and lead for the OvarianVax project, Professor Ahmed, shared his insights saying; “We need better strategies to prevent ovarian cancer. Currently women with BRCA1/2 mutations, who are at very high risk, are offered surgery which prevents cancer but robs them of the chance to have children afterwards. At the same time, many other cases of ovarian cancer aren’t picked up until they are in a much later stage.

Teaching the immune system to recognise the very early signs of cancer is a tough challenge. But we now have highly sophisticated tools which give us real insights into how the immune system recognises ovarian cancer. OvarianVax could offer the solution to prevent cancer, firstly in women at high risk but also more widely if trials prove successful. Thanks to this funding, our research can take a big step forward towards a viable vaccine for ovarian cancer.”

In support of this, The Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK, Michelle Mitchell, said: “Projects like OvarianVax are a really important step forward into an exciting future, where cancer is much more preventable. This funding will power crucial discoveries in the lab which will realise our ambitions to improve ovarian cancer survival. OvarianVax builds on the exciting developments in vaccine technology during the pandemic. This is one of many projects which we hope will give women longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer.”

Previous research by Professor Ahmed and his team at the University of Oxford revealed that immune cells from ovarian cancer patients can "remember" tumours. Building on this, they aim to train the immune system to recognise over 100 tumour-associated antigens. The study will use tissue samples from ovarian cancer patients to model the disease's early stages. Researchers will also collaborate with patient representatives to identify suitable vaccine recipients and effective administration methods for future clinical trials.

The funding for the OvarianVax project at the University of Oxford represents a promising step toward preventing ovarian cancer. By training the immune system to recognise early-stage cancer, this initiative could significantly improve outcomes for women, particularly those at high risk.