A potentially new treatment for cervical precancer and two next-generation vaccines against typhoid and other intestinal infections may become available in India after the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) granted licenses for these technologies to Indian pharmaceutical firms.
If successful, these domestic products have the potential to increase the availability of affordable treatments and vaccines while reducing dependence on imported technologies. The technologies were transferred under the ICMR's 'Medical Innovations Patent Mitra' initiative, which aims to convert government-funded research into market-ready products for development, testing, and commercialization.
Among the transferred technologies is SHetA2, a potential treatment for Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN), a precancerous condition caused by prolonged Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection. If left untreated, CIN can develop into cervical cancer, one of the leading types of cancer among women in India. Unlike surgical removal of abnormal cells, SHetA2 is designed to selectively destroy HPV-infected abnormal cells while preserving healthy cells. Scientists believe this could offer women a safer and less invasive treatment method in the future. This technology was licensed to Emcure Pharmaceuticals for further development, clinical trials, and commercialization.
Furthermore, ICMR has licensed two vaccine technologies developed by its National Institute of Bacterial Infections Research (NIRBI) in Kolkata to the company Biological E. One is a next-generation vaccine against typhoid fever, and the other is intended to protect against typhoid, paratyphoid, and shigella—bacteria that cause severe diarrhea and other intestinal infections, especially in children. These vaccine candidates will now undergo further evaluation and development before they can be considered for regulatory approval and public use.
Dr. Rajiv Bal, Secretary of the Department of Medical Research and CEO of ICMR, noted that collaboration between researchers and industry helps move promising discoveries from laboratories to patients, strengthening India's biomedical innovation ecosystem. The technology transfer is part of ICMR's broader efforts to support domestic medical innovations through patent protection, technology licensing, clinical validation, and regulatory facilitation to ensure the accessibility of medicines and vaccines for patients.
Results of an experimental pancreatic cancer vaccine targeting the KRAS gene mutation were published in Cancer Discovery, a journal published by the American Association for Cancer Research. These findings are based on a Phase I clinical trial involving 20 participants.
The study authors stated that the data obtained represents 'the first demonstration in humans' that a vaccine targeting the KRAS gene mutation can 'safely induce long-term immune responses, potentially preventing cancer development in at-risk individuals.'
The research was conducted by scientists from the Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University and the Skip Viragh Center for Pancreatic Cancer in the United States. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, the most common type of pancreatic cancer, is an aggressive tumor often diagnosed at late stages and has a low five-year survival rate.
Approximately 10% of cases are linked to hereditary predisposition caused by pathogenic mutations in specific susceptibility genes that are inherited. Mutations in the KRAS gene are present in most cases of pancreatic cancer and precancerous lesions. According to the findings, the vaccine allows the immune system to recognize and destroy cells carrying these mutations before they turn malignant.
The study evaluated mKRAS-VAX, a peptide vaccine targeting six of the most common KRAS gene mutations found in pancreatic cancer. A total of 20 participants, who had a hereditary predisposition to this tumor and an identified pancreatic anomaly via imaging, received the vaccine between April 2022 and February 2026.
The vaccine was administered in four doses over 13 weeks, and participant progress was monitored through blood tests and subsequent examinations. The research team concluded that 18 out of 20 participants (90%) developed a significant immune response, demonstrating an average increase in T-cell responses specific to the mutated KRAS gene by 18.2 times, indicating successful activation of immune cells capable of recognizing mutations.
After a median follow-up period of 16.5 months, none of the participants developed pancreatic cancer or a high-risk pancreatic lesion requiring surgical removal. The study also indicates that all side effects were classified as mild or moderate, including fatigue and flu-like symptoms.
Researchers emphasized that the primary goal of the study was to assess safety and immune response, not to determine the vaccine's ability to prevent pancreatic cancer. They also warned that the limited sample size and relatively short follow-up period restrict conclusions about effectiveness in clinical practice.
Elizabeth Jaffy, one of the lead co-authors of the study, noted: 'This is just the beginning, but the results suggest that the immune system is being activated,' adding that it is 'a good start toward prevention, something no one has thought about before.'
