By In a major breakthrough for cancer treatment, doctors have begun trialing the world’s first mRNA lung cancer vaccine, a development experts are calling “groundbreaking” with the potential to save thousands of lives.
Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, responsible for approximately 1.8 million deaths annually. Survival rates, particularly for advanced stages where the disease has spread, remain alarmingly low. This new vaccine, known as BNT116 and developed by BioNTech, aims to change that by treating non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the most common form of the disease.
Lung Cancer Vaccine Trials Underway pic.twitter.com/T0zEiQV3fr
— TheBrainMaze TBM (@thebrainmaze) August 28, 2024
The phase 1 clinical trial, marking the first human study of BNT116, has commenced across 34 research sites in seven countries, including the UK, US, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Spain, and Turkey. In the UK alone, six sites have been established, with the first patient receiving their initial dose this past Tuesday.
BNT116 utilizes messenger RNA (mRNA) technology, similar to the COVID-19 vaccines, to instruct the immune system to identify and destroy cancer cells, potentially preventing their return. The trial will involve approximately 130 patients at varying stages of lung cancer, with about 20 participants from the UK.
Professor Siow Ming Lee, a leading oncologist at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which is spearheading the UK trial, expressed optimism to The Guardian: “We are now entering this very exciting new era of mRNA-based immunotherapy clinical trials to investigate the treatment of lung cancer. This technology is the next big phase of cancer treatment.”
Janusz Racz, 67-year-old from London, became the first UK patient to receive the vaccine. Diagnosed with cancer in May, Racz said he was motivated by his background as a scientist to participate in the trial. “It would be very beneficial for me, and also, I can be a part of the team that can provide proof of concept for this new methodology.”
The trial represents a significant step forward in cancer treatment, with hopes that the mRNA vaccine, in combination with immunotherapy, could drastically improve survival rates for lung cancer patients.
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