First patient receives lung cancer vaccine in global trial
The vaccine introduces specific markers from the tumour to the patient’s immune system, enabling it to target and destroy cancer cells more precisely
A 67-year-old man from London has become the first patient to receive a new lung cancer vaccine as part of an international clinical trial.
The trial aims to assess the safety of this vaccine and its potential to work alongside existing cancer treatments.
This vaccine, called BNT116, was developed by the German biotech company BioNTech.
It uses mRNA technology to help the immune system identify and fight lung cancer cells, New Atlas reports.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
The vaccine introduces specific markers from the tumour to the patient's immune system, enabling it to target and destroy cancer cells more precisely. This method differs from traditional treatments like chemotherapy, which can harm both cancerous and healthy cells.
Professor Siow Ming Lee, a medical oncologist at University Hospital London who leads the UK segment of this study, highlighted the significance of this trial, especially for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, who represent the majority of lung cancer cases.
Lee also mentioned that lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally, accounting for approximately 1.8 million deaths in 2020.
New Atlas also reports the trial will involve about 130 participants across seven countries, including patients at various stages of NSCLC. Researchers hope to determine whether BNT116 can be safely used on its own or in combination with existing therapies.
Janusz Racz, the first participant in the trial, expressed his motivation to contribute to advancing cancer treatment. As a scientist himself, he sees his involvement as a step toward making this innovative therapy more widely available in the future.
