Gamgee recruits 30 dogs for an Australian trial of personalized mRNA cancer vaccines

Gamgee recruits 30 dogs for an Australian trial of personalized mRNA cancer vaccines

On August 12, Gamgee opened enrollment in Australia for a trial involving 30 dogs. The company will offer each patient an mRNA vaccine containing genetic instructions designed from mutations found in that patient’s tumor.

This spring, Rosie received a personalized mRNA vaccine. Rosie, the dog of Gamgee founder Paul Cunningham, received the vaccine as part of a treatment regimen that also included a checkpoint inhibitor, a drug that helps the immune system attack the tumor. Dog owners can now apply to the program, and veterinarians can refer patients.

The process begins with a biopsy, which provides a small tumor sample, and a blood sample. Gamgee compares the DNA from the two samples to identify mutations specific to the tumor. Its software then selects neoantigens, protein markers that may allow the immune system to recognize cancer cells. These markers are encoded in mRNA. After the vaccine is administered, the dog’s cells briefly present the markers to the immune system.

According to Gamgee’s information for veterinarians, AI helps rank the neoantigens, while a veterinary oncologist reviews the vaccine design and administers the finished dose. The company now offers new patients the full procedure, including biopsy, mutation analysis, target selection, and vaccine production.

On Gamgee’s Y Combinator launch page, the next stage is described as a trial led by veterinary clinicians. The trial will assess safety, immune responses, and clinical outcomes in 30 dogs, including changes in the animals’ condition.