L-BLP25 as a peptide vaccine therapy in non-small cell lung cancer: a review

Lung cancer is one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide and the leading cause of cancer-related death. Most cases are non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The median overall survival of patients with advanced stage undergoing current standard chemotherapy is approximately 10 months. The addition of new compounds, including targeted agents, to standard first-line cytotoxic doublets, which are administered concurrently and/or as maintenance therapy in patients who have not experienced disease progression after first-line treatment, has shown potential in improving the efficacy in patients with advanced disease. L-BLP25 is a mucin 1 (MUC1) antigen-specific immunotherapy induces a T-cell response to MUC1 in both a preclinical MUC1-transgenic lung cancer mouse model and patients. This review is aimed at introducing the mechanism by which L-BLP25 targets MUC1, summarizing the achievements gained in the completed clinical trials with L-BLP25 administered as maintenance therapy in the treatment of unresectable stage III/IV NSCLC, and discussing the research trends.