German biotech company BioNTech has launched phase II of a new clinical trial for its skin cancer vaccine candidate, which relies on messenger RNA technology.
- A total of 120 people are included in this second phase of the clinical research process.
- The first phase of the clinical trial demonstrated a favorable safety profile with low adverse effects in 89 patients with advanced melanoma.
After Covid-19, cancer? The German biotechnology company BioNTech officially launched on June 18 the phase II of the clinical trial aimed at testing the effectiveness of its vaccine candidate intended to treat melanomas, according to the medical journal Clinical Trials Arena. A first patient received an injection for the product. A total of 120 people are included in this second phase of the clinical research process.
A health threat even worse than the pandemic
The vaccine candidate relies on messenger RNA technology to train the patient’s immune system against cancer. “Our goal is to harness the power of the immune system against cancer and infectious diseasesassures Özlem Türeci, co-founder of BioNTech, in a statement. We were able to demonstrate the potential of mRNA vaccines in tackling Covid-19. We must not forget that cancer is also a global health threat, even worse than the current pandemic.”
The first phase of the clinical trial has returned encouraging results, presented on July 29, 2020 in the journal Nature. The vaccine, dubbed BNT111, demonstrated a favorable safety profile with low adverse effects in 89 patients with advanced melanoma. This second phase will make it possible to test the effectiveness of the vaccine alone and in combination with the drug Libtayo (cemiplimab), a monoclonal antibody co-developed by Regeneron and Sanofi. The patients recruited have stage 3 or 4 melanoma. The researchers will monitor their progress after inoculating them with the vaccine.
mRNA, a popular technology
The messenger RNA technique is being emulated. This Tuesday, June 22, the French pharmaceutical group announced in a statement to have started, with its American partner Translate Bio, a phase I clinical trial with a view to evaluating a vaccine using this technology against seasonal influenza. “The current pandemic has shown us how promising messenger RNA technology is and we will now look to expand it to select annual vaccines.”, said Jean-François Toussaint, head of research and development at Sanofi.
Moderna is also relying on this technology. The American firm recently stated work on mRNA-based treatments intended in particular to fight against the Zika virus or chikungunya.
.