Trovax (R). Cancer Vaccine

Active specific immunization against cancer is a compelling concept which has been under investigatation for several decades. Among tumor vaccine approaches, a modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) virus vector encoding the oncofetal antigen 5T4 (TroVax (R)) is one of the most advanced. Here, we summarize clinical and immunological data on TroVax in various malignant diseases. The induction of a specific immune response was seen in the majority of patients and across all clinical trials, and preliminary clinical results, particularly in renal cell cancer (RCC), are encouraging. However, it is necessary to await results from larger ongoing trials to draw firm conclusions on the role of TroVax in future oncological therapy.