Human trials for world's first lung cancer vaccine launched
Human trials for the first lung cancer vaccine in the world have begun.
BBC reported that Janusz Racz, a 67-year-old man in the UK, became the first to try the BNT116 jab earlier this week. Made by German biotechnology company BioNTech, the treatment makes use of mRNA technology similar to some COVID-19 vaccines in helping the immune system determine how to combat the disease.
Around 130 individuals with non-small cell lung cancer from early-stage before surgery or radiotherapy to late-stage disease or recurrent cancer are expected to get the shot as part of its early-stage trial. It will be conducted in 34 research sites in seven countries, including the University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Velindre University NHS Trust, The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, and The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
The jab singles out the lung cancer cells that need to be destroyed with the help of information on several markers on their surface, reducing the risk of side effects on the body.
Clinical lead Siow Ming Lee expressed his hope that they can "provide an additional immune boost" on top of the current standard treatment that includes immunotherapy and chemotherapy.
Dame Cally Palmer, the national cancer director of NHS England, said it has the potential to be "revolutionary" in helping individuals fight lung cancer and prevent its recurrence.
"A cancer diagnosis is very worrying, but access to groundbreaking trials—alongside other innovations to diagnose and treat cancers earlier—provides hope," she said. "We expect to see thousands more patients taking part in trials over the next few years."
For her part, Michelle Mitchell, Cancer Research UK’s chief executive, said that the "science that helped us out of the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to show promise as a potential treatment option for patients."
"While very early stage, we look forward to seeing how the study progresses," she continued.
According to health information website Mayo Clinic, lung cancer is a kind of cancer that "starts as a growth of cells in the lungs." It's the leading cause of cancer deaths in the world.