The Cuban anti-idiotypic therapeutic vaccine for lung cancer switch maintenance, developed by the Center of Molecular Immunology (CIM), has been granted the 2025 Technological Innovation Award.
The product, known as Vaxira (Racotumomab), is an active cancer immunotherapy engineered to trigger a specific humoral response against the N-glycolyl GM3 ganglioside. This tumor-specific antigen is present in over 90% of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cases.
The vaccine is capable of inducing a robust response against the ganglioside; consequently, the serum of treated patients can lyse tumor cell lines that overexpress this antigen. It achieves this by creating pores in the tumor cell membrane, a programmed cell death mechanism known as oncosis.
Vaxira ensures disease control in patients who showed a positive response to first-line oncological therapy in advanced stages (switch maintenance). Beyond significantly enhancing quality of life, 20% of treated patients achieve exceptional long-term survival, with a median survival rate of 76.6 months.
Researchers conducted a follow-up study of more than 1,300 patients treated between the vaccine's initial conditional registration in 2013 and 2023. According to an official statement, this period has solidified the evidence regarding its safety, confirming that no new adverse events occurred beyond those reported in previous trials. Furthermore, it demonstrated the feasibility of administering the vaccine within primary healthcare settings.
Vaxira stands as a Cuban therapeutic alternative for advanced lung cancer, delivering outcomes comparable to the most advanced therapies in global oncology while maintaining an excellent safety profile.
(Taken from Prensa Latina)
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