The Cleveland Clinic announced the start of the clinical trials stage of the breast cancer vaccine in humans, which is expected to combat the more aggressive effects of the disease.
“This initial phase is the first step in a long journey that, we hope, will result in a vaccine capable of prevent at least some forms of breast cancer“, he claimed Thomas Budd, oncologist and principal investigator of the project.
According to the clinic, this formula is the product of 20 years of research and was financed with the donations of 20,000 people. This will be administered to patients who have suffered from triple negative breast cancer, which is one of the most aggressive and deadly forms of the disease.
“In the long term, our goal is to determine if this vaccine is capable of fighting breast cancer – especially in its more aggressive variants – before it occurs,” Budd added.
Studies revealed that the factor of α-lactoalbumin protein, very present in the woman’s body during the lactation stage, determined between 70 percent and 80 percent of patients with triple negative breast cancer, who present an excess of the aforementioned protein, for this reason the vaccine focuses on this.
Although studies begin in people who have already suffered from the disease, Budd did not rule out that if the trial phase is successful could be extended to preventive cancer treatment for healthy people.
“We wanted to launch the trials with patients who will benefit their health. Once we determine the appropriate dose and possible side effects, we want to continue with patients who have a genetic risk of contracting triple negative breast cancer, “concluded the oncologist.
The clinic estimated that this phase of trials it would end by September next year.
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