Now, researchers say a personalized vaccine may offer a new way forward by teaching the immune system to recognize multiple targets on a patient’s tumor at once. The early-stage clinical trial, co-led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, found that the vaccine was safe and triggered strong immune responses that appeared to help some patients remain cancer-free for longer after surgery.

The findings, published in Nature Cancer, come from a study led jointly by Mass General Brigham and Geneos Therapeutics, a biotechnology company based in Philadelphia.

“We are extremely encouraged by these results,” said study lead author Tanner Johanns, an assistant professor in the Division of Oncology at WashU Medicine, in a press release. “This kind of vaccine is a first for glioblastoma, and it is exciting to think how we can leverage this individualized therapeutic DNA cancer vaccine platform to make a positive impact on the lives of patients who are fighting this disease.”