World-first personalised vaccine trial launches for children with aggressive brain cancers.

A new Australian clinical trial is offering hope to children and adolescents with some of the most aggressive and treatment-resistant brain tumours.

The PaedNeoVax study will test personalised mRNA cancer vaccines designed specifically for each child, using advanced genome sequencing to identify tumour-specific targets. The trial is supported by a $2.578 million investment from the Australian Government through the Medical Research Future Fund.

The study is co-led by The University of Queensland and the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, in partnership with Providence Therapeutics. We (The Australia and New Zealand Children’s Haematology and Oncology Group (ANZCHOG)) are the national trial sponsor and will coordinate the study across participating sites.

Eight paediatric hospitals across Queensland, South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia will take part, with site activation beginning from April. The trial is open to children and adolescents with relapsed or treatment-resistant high-grade brain tumours, including medulloblastoma, ependymoma, high-grade glioma and diffuse midline glioma.

This innovative approach aims to assess the safety, feasibility and effectiveness of personalised vaccines, with the goal of improving survival and quality of life for children facing brain cancer.

Supported by a strong research community

The trial is supported by a wide network of research, clinical and philanthropic partners, including Southern RNA, ZERO2 Childhood Cancer, QIMR Berghofer, The Robert Connor Dawes Foundation, The Children’s Cancer Foundation, The Marcus Rosin Fund, and the Queensland Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Together, these collaborations reflect a shared commitment to advancing innovative, child-focused cancer research and improving outcomes for children and young people facing brain cancer.