Providence Therapeutics Announces World-First Personalized Pediatric mRNA Cancer Vaccine Trial
Landmark Australian study opens new possibilities for children with aggressive brain tumors and signals opportunity for Canada and USA.
CALGARY, AB and BRISBANE, Australia , Feb. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Providence Therapeutics, a Canadian clinical-stage mRNA biotechnology company, is supporting a world-first clinical trial evaluating personalized mRNA cancer vaccines for children with advanced and treatment-resistant brain tumors.
The PaedNEO-VAX trial, funded by Providence Therapeutics, in combination with the Australian Government and a host of philanthropic donors, is the first multi-site pediatric study to test individualized mRNA vaccines designed specifically for each child's cancer.
The trial is co-led by The University of Queensland and the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) and will begin in March 2026 across seven pediatric hospitals in Queensland, South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, and Western Australia. It is sponsored by the Australia & New Zealand Children's Haematology and Oncology Group (ANZCHOG).
Providence Therapeutics is contributing its proprietary mRNA vaccine platform and manufacturing expertise to support the creation of personalized vaccines tailored to each patient's tumor biology.
A New Frontier for Pediatric Brain Cancer
PaedNEO-VAX is open to children and adolescents with relapsed or refractory high-grade brain tumors, including high-grade glioma, diffuse midline glioma, medulloblastoma, and ependymoma.
Phase I will establish safety and optimal dosing, while Phase II will evaluate clinical outcomes such as disease progression, survival, and quality of life for patients and families.
Using genome sequencing and advanced data analysis, tumor-specific targets will be identified for each child. Customized mRNA vaccines will then be manufactured in Australia by Southern RNA, with an expected turnaround of approximately 10 weeks from enrollment to dosing.
"Where Hope and Science Intersect"
Providence's interest in pediatric brain cancer is deeply rooted and personal.
"In 2013, my 13-year-old son Adam was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and given about 12 months to live. We were fortunate that we were able to get him into remission, and in 2015 I founded Providence Therapeutics with the mission to be ready if his cancer came back." said Brad Sorenson, Founder and CEO of Providence Therapeutics. "In early 2024 that horrible day came when his GBM recurred in his brainstem and throughout his spine, and we rushed to make a personalized vaccine for him. Adam was the first person to receive a Providence cancer vaccine, and he responded remarkably well. It is a rare good-news story, and he is still doing well today. Providence's mission today is to see Adam's success shared as widely as possible."
"This trial embodies our mantra of 'Where Hope and Science Intersect.' After more than a decade of scientific work, Providence is honoured to help bring hope to families facing devastating diagnoses. We are proud to support this world-first pediatric trial in Australia and hopeful that it will pave the way for similar initiatives in Canada and throughout the world."
An Open Invitation to Canada and the USA
Providence Therapeutics views this landmark trial as both a scientific breakthrough and a model for collaboration.
Following the Australian example, Providence welcomes dialogue with Canadian and USA leaders, cancer foundations, and cancer research organizations interested in exploring how similar cancer vaccine programs could be advanced in Canada and the USA.
This trial demonstrates what is possible when public investment, clinical leadership, and patient-driven innovation align — offering children and families facing the most aggressive cancers something profoundly needed: Hope.
About Providence Therapeutics:
Founded in 2015 with headquarters in Calgary, Canada Providence Therapeutics Holdings Inc. is a clinical stage platform mRNA company with proprietary technologies and know how including: INTENT™ lipid nanoparticle delivery and expertise in mRNA design and manufacturing. Providence has multiple programs in oncology, infectious disease, and animal health.
For more information visit www.providencetherapeutics.com
SOURCE Providence Therapeutics Holdings Inc
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