Prof. Natalia Marek-Trzonkowska, Director of the International Centre for Cancer Vaccine Science, was invited by the European Commission to join a group of 20 experts in Brussels on 4 February to discuss the potential role of vaccination in the prevention of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).
NCDs remain the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Europe, with the burden expected to grow due to population ageing. While screening, early diagnosis, treatment, and risk reduction strategies (such as limiting tobacco and alcohol use) remain essential, advances in vaccine technologies and immunology are opening new preventive possibilities.
Growing evidence shows that immunomodulatory therapies can significantly delay disease progression in certain cancers and autoimmune disorders, and in some cases even lead to remission. A deeper understanding of immune mechanisms in NCD pathogenesis suggests that appropriately targeted immune interventions may prevent or substantially delay disease onset.
During the meeting, Prof. Marek-Trzonkowska presented a lecture titled “Regulatory T cells as a therapeutic tool in type 1 diabetes – lessons learned from long-term observations”. She shared results from 12-year follow-up studies of children with type 1 diabetes treated with regulatory T cells (Tregs). The findings indicate that earlier therapeutic intervention leads to improved clinical outcomes. The strong safety profile of the therapy has led to the launch of a clinical trial involving patients at the pre-symptomatic stage of the disease. Discussions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration further support introducing Treg therapy at the stage when autoantibodies are detected, before clinical symptoms appear.
The Brussels meeting focused on exchanging expertise on vaccination and immune-based therapies for NCDs in the preclinical phase. Experts also discussed which diseases are biologically suitable for such approaches, as well as key uncertainties and research priorities. The conclusions will help identify research gaps, methodological challenges, and strategic directions for the future development of vaccines and immune interventions targeting noncommunicable diseases.