World-First Preventative Lung Cancer Vaccine Enters Clinical Trial
A groundbreaking clinical trial set to begin in summer 2026 will test LungVax, the world’s first vaccine designed to prevent lung cancer in people at high risk, a major milestone in cancer prevention research.
Developed by researchers at the University of Oxford and University College London, and backed by Cancer Research UK and the CRIS Cancer Foundation, LungVax aims to prime the immune system to detect and destroy abnormal lung cells before they turn cancerous.
“Lung cancer is lethal and blights far too many lives. Survival has been stubbornly poor for decades. LungVax is our chance to do something to actively prevent this disease,” said Professor Sarah Blagden, co-founder of the LungVax project.
How LungVax Works
LungVax uses a viral vector technology based on the same platform that powered the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. It delivers genetic instructions to the immune system so it can recognise “red-flag” proteins (neoantigens) on the surface of early abnormal lung cells, marking them for the immune system to destroy.
The Phase I trial will focus on individuals at particularly high risk, including patients who have had early-stage non-small cell lung cancer removed, as well as people currently enrolled in NHS England’s targeted lung health checks.
Trial Design and Scope
The Oncology Clinical Trials Office (OCTO) at Oxford will run the trial.
It is designed as a dose-escalation Phase I, followed by a Phase II “precision-prevention” part.
The total planned enrollment is 590 patients: 30 in Phase I and 560 in Phase II (280 per arm).
The primary goals are to assess safety, determine optimal dosing, and evaluate whether the immune response can be effectively triggered.
“Fewer than 10% of people with lung cancer survive their disease for 10 years or more. That must change, and that change will come from targeting lung cancer at the earliest stages,” said Professor Mariam Jamal-Hanjani, trial lead from UCL.
Why This Matters
Lung cancer remains the UK’s deadliest cancer by survival rate, and early detection continues to be a major challenge. By training the immune system to identify and eliminate abnormal lung cells early, before full-blown cancer develops, LungVax represents a paradigm shift in primary prevention.
The vaccine does not replace existing public health measures: smoking cessation remains the most effective way to reduce lung cancer risk. But LungVax could offer a completely new layer of protection for those most vulnerable, especially as part of broader screening programmes.
Backing and Future Prospects
Cancer Research UK has awarded up to £2.06 million to support the four-year Phase I trial. Michelle Mitchell, Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK, emphasised the long-term vision:
“By supporting the LungVax clinical trial, we will put the vaccine through the most rigorous scientific tests and take that important first step towards a world where people live longer, better lives, free from the fear of lung cancer.”
The program also builds on a larger GSK-Oxford immuno-prevention partnership, which launched in early 2025, with a £50 million investment in pre-cancer vaccine research.
LungVax could redefine how we approach lung cancer prevention, shifting the paradigm from reacting to disease to preventing it altogether. If the trial proves successful, this could become a powerful tool for reducing lung cancer incidence in high-risk populations.
Author
BioFocus Newsroom