The trials for the world’s first mRNA vaccine for lung cancer have begun in patients, with experts calling its potential “groundbreaking” and saying it could save thousands of lives.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide (1.8 million deaths per year), and survival rates for advanced cases are very low. The new BioNTech vaccine (BNT116) directs the body to target and destroy cancer cells and then prevents them from returning.
The Phase 1 clinical trial has begun at 34 sites across 7 countries: the UK, the US, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Spain, and Turkey.
It works similarly to COVID-19 vaccines by presenting cancer markers to the immune system, preparing the body to target cancer cells with these markers. The goal is for the patient’s body to fight cancer more effectively without affecting healthy cells, unlike chemotherapy.
Approximately 130 patients at various stages of the disease will take part, ranging from early stages before surgery or radiation therapy to advanced or recurrent cancer. The vaccine will be given alongside immunotherapy.
