CRS-207

CRS-207 is an experimental cancer vaccine made from a weakened Listeria monocytogenes bacterium engineered to produce mesothelin, a protein found on most mesothelioma cells. It is designed to train the immune system to recognize and attack mesothelin-bearing tumors. It has been studied mainly in combination with chemotherapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma and remains investigational.

Origin

CRS-207 was developed by Aduro Biotech using a Listeria-based immunotherapy platform originally derived from research at the University of Pennsylvania in the early 2000s. It entered human clinical trials around 2008 and was tested in mesothelioma beginning with a Phase 1b study published by Hassan and colleagues in 2019.

Significance in Asbestos Context

For patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma, standard chemotherapy often produces only modest and temporary benefit, so immunotherapy approaches like CRS-207 represent an important area of research. Because mesothelin is expressed on roughly 85–90% of epithelioid mesotheliomas, CRS-207 was designed to direct an immune attack specifically at these cells. Early-phase trials combining CRS-207 with pemetrexed and cisplatin showed encouraging tumor response rates, but the drug remains investigational and is only available through clinical trials. Patients should ask their oncologist or a mesothelioma specialty center whether any open trials of mesothelin-directed immunotherapy might fit their disease subtype and treatment history.

Example Sentence

After her epithelioid mesothelioma progressed on first-line chemotherapy, she asked her oncologist whether a clinical trial of CRS-207 or another mesothelin-targeted immunotherapy might still be open to her.

Related Terms

Mesothelin, Immunotherapy, Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma, Pemetrexed, Clinical Trial, Cancer Vaccine

Notes

• Ask your oncologist whether your tumor has been tested for mesothelin expression, since CRS-207 and related therapies are most relevant for mesothelin-positive epithelioid tumors.
• Search ClinicalTrials.gov using terms like 'mesothelin,' 'CRS-207,' or 'Listeria vaccine mesothelioma' to see currently enrolling studies, and consider a consultation at an NCI-designated cancer center with a mesothelioma program.
• Keep copies of all pathology reports, immunohistochemistry results, and prior treatment records. Trial eligibility often depends on specific histology, prior therapy lines, and organ function.
• Trial participation can affect both your medical course and any legal claim; tell your attorney about enrollment so treatment dates, travel costs, and side effects are documented as part of your damages.