The Australian company Imugene Limited, which specializes in immuno-oncology therapy, and the American biomedical research and educational center City of Hope have recently announced that they have vaccinated the first patient with a cancer-fighting virus. An anonymous patient in the first phase of the clinical trial received a dose of the newly created virus officially named CF33-hNIS Vaxinia.
This oncolytic virus, researchers explained, has shown promise in preclinical laboratory tests and animal trials in reducing cancers of the colon, lung, breast, ovary, and pancreas. Whether the Vaxinia virus can kill cancer will be tested in the first phase on one hundred oncology patients across the United States.
All participants, it was reported, have metastases or advanced malignant tumors and each has already been treated with at least two therapies, such as chemotherapy and radiation. Researchers plan to divide the patients into two groups. One group will receive Vaxinia as a treatment, while the other group will also receive an immunotherapy drug. For now, the focus will primarily be on safety and finding the best dosage for therapy. Therefore, it will be difficult to assess the effectiveness of the new virus, but they believe it will enhance the strength of immunotherapy.
The trial is expected to be completed by early 2025, and who knows, perhaps by then a few cancer vaccine factories will be opened. Croatia has already highlighted its candidacy for this. And who says there are no visionaries at the helm of the Ministry of Economy?!
