A Devastating Diagnosis with Few Options
Diffuse midline glioma (DMG) is one of the most aggressive childhood brain tumours. It spreads through the central nervous system and grows in areas of the brain—the thalamus, brain stem, and spinal cord—that are notoriously difficult to treat surgically. For families receiving this diagnosis, the prognosis is often measured in months, not years.
Sixteen-year-old Coby Metzler was diagnosed with DMG 14 months ago and given a 12-to-18-month life expectancy. His mother, Brigette Metzler, has spoken publicly about the agonising reality: “We now understand that his cancer is progressing into his brain stem, which will take away his functions one by one”.
Coby’s story underscores the urgency behind a world-first trial now being prepared in Australia.
How PaedNeoVax Works
The vaccine, called PaedNeoVax (PTX-108), is a personalised mRNA therapy created from small samples of each patient’s own tumour. The vaccine is designed to engage the immune system’s T cells to identify and attack markers on the surface of tumour cells. Unlike conventional treatments, this approach is tailored to the unique genetic signature of each child’s cancer.
The trial will be clinically led by Professor Jordan Hansford of the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) and the University of Adelaide, with scientific leadership from Professor Brandon Wainwright at the University of Queensland’s Frazer Institute and QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute.
“This is a new, personalised approach to treating these especially difficult brain cancers that we believe has huge potential,” Professor Hansford said.
The Ethical and Logistical Frontier
The trial will be rolled out at paediatric oncology centres across Australia under strict ethical and regulatory frameworks. The federal government has supported PTX-108 development with a $2.58 million Medical Research Future Fund grant.
However, the timeline for trial launch remains uncertain, and families like the Metzlers are confronting the painful reality that some children may not live long enough to qualify for enrolment. “The timeline for delivery of the trial does mean that some children will die waiting for a place,” Ms Metzler said. “My son is likely to be one of them”.
Professor Hansford has emphasised that PaedNeoVax remains experimental and cannot currently be purchased anywhere in the world. Requests for compassionate access outside the trial are considered on a case-by-case basis.
