17 September 2026
Source: JAMA Oncology.
This research investigated combining pembrolizumab with PDS0101, an investigational therapeutic vaccine designed to stimulate an immune response against HPV16-associated cancer cells.
The study involved people with recurrent or metastatic HPV16-positive head and neck cancer who had not previously received immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment.
The researchers reported:
Evidence of anti-tumour activity.
Encouraging response rates.
Favourable safety findings.
Promising survival outcomes.
The results support further investigation of the combination as a first-line treatment.
Why this matters: Therapeutic cancer vaccines are an exciting area of research. Unlike preventative HPV vaccines, these vaccines are designed to help the immune system recognise and attack existing cancer cells.
