Vax2Muc featured as example of promising future of cancer vaccines

European Commission’s recent proposal on vaccine-preventable cancers included the EU-funded Vax2Muc project as an example of ongoing vaccine development to prevent gastric cancer.

Cancer is a global health concern, with a growing global burden. In 2050, 35 million new cancer cases are predicted, a marked increase from the estimated 20 million cases in 2022. The reasons for this increase range from ageing populations to more widespread exposure to risk factors.

Whatever the cause, however, one thing is clear—cancer prevention and treatment innovation are as needed as ever.

In the EU,  1 in 20 Europeans has faced a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime, leading to EU institutions recognising this public health crisis and devising specific initiatives to tackle it. In January 2024, the European Commission (EC) proposed a Council Recommendation on vaccine-preventable cancers to support Member States in their efforts to prevent cancer by boosting vaccination against HPV (human papillomavirus) and HBV (hepatitis B). The recommendation includes a list of measures aiming to improve the uptake of HPV and HBV vaccines, which would tackle the occurrence of cervical and liver cancers.

The EC’s proposal also includes a section on the future of tackling cancer through vaccination, which overviews some of the ongoing vaccine research and development supported through the EC’s Horizon Europe Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.

The document highlights Vax2Muc as an example of such an initiative. Research targeting the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, which is the main cause of gastric cancer, is focusing on next-generation vaccines that would protect against gastric diseases or would even prevent pathogen infection by mucosal gastrointestinal or antimicrobial-resistant pathogens.

It’s great to see the project recognised as contributing to the critical goal of tackling cancer in the EU. A lot of research and innovative approaches are forthcoming, and Vax2Muc partners are proud to be part of this endeavour.

Vax2Muc is funded by the Horizon Europe research and innovation programme and runs for five years until June 2028.