Scientists have injected the first human patient with a cancer-killing virus.
The virus, Vaxinia, has seen successful tests in animals and is now being used in experimental cancer treatment of humans too.
In the study, the cancer-killing virus has been engineered to harm cancer cells and to make them more recognizable to the body’s immune system.
Earlier the virus was tested on animals and saw huge success in reducing tumors in early animal and lab experiments. The cancer-killing virus can reduce the size of lung, breast, ovarian, pancreatic, and colon cancer tumors.
Scientists decided to move on to human testing hopeful that the virus could improve patients’ chance to fight back against cancer.
Vaxinia will be tested in a Phase 1 trial of just 100 cancer patients with metastatic or advanced solid tumors and the trial is expected to be completed by early 2025.
