A trial of a groundbreaking brain tumour vaccine designed to kick-start the body's immune system response is being launched in the UK.The vaccine - IMA950 - has been developed to fight glioblastoma, one of the most common forms of brain cancer.

The two-year trial is being paid for by Cancer Research Technology, the funding arm of Cancer Research UK and will be tested on up to 45 newly diagnosed patients, initially at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre in Glasgow.

IMA950 will work by directing and boosting the body's immune system to allow it to fight the cancer.

It will be used in conjunction with standard treatments of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Sky News' health correspondent Thomas Moore says: "We've got used to vaccines that prevent diseases - including some cancers. But this is a treatment vaccine.

"Cancer normally evades the immune system. But this vaccine flags up the tumour as a threat, kick-starting an immune response.

"It's a very exciting strategy that is likely to become increasingly common."

The vaccine contains 11 peptides - strings of amino acids - that are found on the surface of glioblastoma tumours but not on the surface of healthy cells.

The peptides are "trained" to recognise cancer cells as unhealthy cells - and then to target and destroy them.

Cancer Research's Dr Ian Walker told Sky News Online: "This is a novel therapy because each peptide has a potential to cause an immune response. Usually, a vaccine will have one peptide, but this gives us 11 different possibilities or chances."

Dr Walker says the charity is pleased to be funding the initiative because potential treatments may be too expensive for traditional drug companies to try, or continue.

"We have an arrangement with the manufacturer which gives them an option to exercise their right to continue with the research if it is proving worthwhile.

"There is a time frame involved and, if they decide not to, then the right comes back to us.

"This means that there is less chance of potential treatments being marginalised - if we think a trial is worth continuing with, we will ensure the funding is there so the potential cure for a cancer will not be overlooked."

More than 2,000 glioblastoma tumours are diagnosed in Britain each year.

The prognosis for newly diagnosed patients is very poor, with survival often measured in months.

Originally posted by woodwardjnr
I have a glioblastoma tumour it was diagnosed in 2007. This looks like very interesting news. I will be bringing this up at my next appointment. Thanks for the info. I have lived a long time with this tumour, I was originally given 18 months, but seem to be doing well, all things considered.