{
  "id": 4702541,
  "title": "Mother fears son will die before customised brain cancer vaccine trial",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/mother-fears-son-will-die-before-customised-brain-cancer-vaccine-trial",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-31T19:43:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ABC News AU",
    "slug": "abc-news-au",
    "url": "https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-01/mother-worries-son-will-die-brain-cancer-without-trial-drug/107096898"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Coby Metzler, a 16-year-old suffering from brain cancer, is facing the possibility of dying before he can participate in a groundbreaking vaccine trial. His mother, Brigette Metzler, fears he will miss out on the trial due to his life expectancy. The new personalised vaccine, called PaedNeoVax (PTX-108), uses mRNA technology to harness the body's immune system to target cancer markers on tumour cells. The vaccine trial is set to begin soon in Australia, but a specific date has not been determined. Brigette Metzler is actively seeking ways to help her son access the treatment outside of the trial, working with legal and medical experts to address legal and ethical concerns. Coby was diagnosed with Diffuse Midline Glioma (DMG), an aggressive brain cancer that usually affects children, in 2023. He has undergone radiation treatment and participated in a clinical drug trial in November 2024, which has potentially extended his life. However, his cancer has progressed again, spreading to his brain stem. Brain tumours are the leading cause of death in Australian children, with 40 children dying from brain cancer each year. The world-first Australian study of personalised mRNA vaccines for children with aggressive brain tumours is led by Professor Jordan Hansford of SAHMRI and Adelaide University. The trial will be rolled out at paediatric oncology centres across Australia under strict ethical and regulatory frameworks, aiming to determine the safest and most effective dose. However, not all children with brain cancer may be suitable candidates for the trial, as it has specific entry criteria outlined in the trial protocol. Brigette Metzler is also seeking federal government funding to ensure that families do not face financial and social barriers in accessing life-saving treatments for their children.",
  "summary": "A world-first mRNA vaccine trial offers some hope to the family of a teenager dying from brain cancer, but they worry he will miss out on a place.",
  "key_points": [
    "16-year-old Coby Metzler diagnosed with aggressive brain cancer.",
    "Mother Brigette fears son will die before participating in vaccine trial.",
    "PaedNeoVax trial set to begin soon in Australia."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}