Grantee Spotlight: Developing New Immune-Based Treatments for Aggressive Brain Cancer
March 24, 2026
The Challenge
Malignant brain tumors, such as glioblastoma, are among the most aggressive cancers in adults. Despite maximal standard therapy – surgery followed by radiotherapy and temozolomide chemotherapy – most patients live only about 15 to 16 months after diagnosis. For decades, progress has been slow, and new treatment approaches are urgently needed.
In recent years, immunotherapy has transformed outcomes in several cancers; however, brain tumors have proven particularly challenging. One reason is that these tumors often do not trigger a strong immune response on their own, making it hard for the body to recognize and attack the cancer.
A New Approach
To address this challenge, Prof. Dietrich and his team at the University Hospital of Geneva in Switzerland developed a therapeutic cancer vaccine designed specifically for glioblastoma. The vaccine, called IMA950, is made from small protein fragments found on brain tumor cells but not on healthy tissue. These fragments act like “flags,” helping the immune system recognize the tumor as something it should attack.
With joint support from Rising Tide Foundation for Clinical Cancer Research (RTFCCR) and Gateway for Cancer Research, the team launched a Phase I/II clinical trial evaluating IMA950 in 19 newly diagnosed adult patients who had already received standard treatment. The vaccine was given in combination with an immune-stimulating agent called polyICLC. PolyICLC acts as a “wakeup call” for the immune system, helping it respond more strongly to the vaccine.
The goal was to see whether the vaccine combination was safe and whether it could successfully activate the immune system.
Key Findings
The trial showed that the IMA950/polyICLC vaccine was safe and well-tolerated in patients with aggressive brain tumors. Importantly, it also successfully triggered immune responses against the tumor in a patient population with poor prognosis.
The researchers learned that mixing the vaccine and the immunestimulating agent together before injection was key to achieving the strongest effect. This approach activated different types of immune cells that are needed for a long-lasting and effective immune response against cancer.
Broader Impact
This research did more than show that a new vaccine approach was possible – it directly enabled subsequent clinical trials.
The results directly led to:
- A follow-up study testing the GAPVAC vaccine, published in Nature (2019).
- A Phase I trial evaluating IMA950/polyICLC in combination with pembrolizumab, with patient accrual completed and results presented at the SNO 2025 meeting.
Together, these studies have helped researchers understand how to better engage the immune system against brain tumors – something that had long seemed out of reach.
Looking Ahead
This work also enabled in-depth characterization of glioma tumor markers, which have since informed the design of next-generation CAR T cell therapies.
Today, the research has come full circle: building on the insights gained from peptide vaccination, the team led by Prof. Denis Migliorini at the University Hospital of Geneva in Switzerland is now advancing innovative CAR T-cell approaches for malignant glioma, with a new Phase I clinical trial planned for next year.
Through its early support, RTFCCR played a pivotal role in catalyzing a research program that continues to shape the future of immunotherapy for one of the most challenging cancers.
Learn More
- Migliorini et al. IMA950/poly-ICLC multipeptide vaccine for glioma. NeuroOncology 21(7), 923–933, 2019.
- Wick W. et al. Actively personalized vaccination trial for newly diagnosed glioblastoma. 240 – Nature – Vol 565 – 10 January 2019.
- Migliorini et al. Pembrolizumab in combination with the multipeptide vaccine IMA950 adjuvanted with Poly-ICLC for relapsing glioblastoma: a randomized phase I/II trial (IMA950-106). Results presented at the SNO 2025 meeting.