A trial looking at ACVA for cancers that test positive for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) (PH1/099)

This trial looked at a treatment called ACVA (anti CEA vaccine) for people who have cancer that makes a protein called CEA. This trial was supported by Cancer Research UK.

ACVA is a type of biological therapy known as a DNA vaccine. ACVA is made from the tetanus vaccine, but researchers have added some new genetic material (DNA) to modify it. Because the genetic material has been changed, it can also be classed as a type of gene therapy.

CEA stands for carcinoembryonic antigen. It is a marker (protein) made by some types of cancer. The research team hoped that ACVA would help the immune system to recognise cancer cells that make CEA, and kill them.

The aims of the trial were to find out

• If ACVA can help the immune system recognise and kill cancer cells that make CEA

• What the side effects are