A vaccine for cancer might sound too good to believe, but Earl White with Caliber Biotherapeutics of Bryan says it might soon be a reality.
White says Caliber is teaming up with ImmunGene to create a vaccine that acts as an antibody, attacking tumor cells while leaving healthy cells untouched.
Through the joint venture, called Valor Biotherapeutics LLC, they are currently developing three antibody vaccines: one for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, one for multiple myeloma, and one for breast cancer.
White says it will likely be several years before these reach the market and the non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma vaccine is the furthest along, with development just beginning for phase one of the clinical trial.
While scientists still aren’t sure what specifically causes cancer or how to prevent it, White explains that these antibodies kill cancerous cells by interlocking with them.
He says to think of the monoclonal antibody as the carrier and the interferon as a payload, and once the monoclonal antibody bonds to the specific cite on the cancer cell, much like two puzzle pieces locking into place, the interferon kills that cell.
White says they are using Chinese hamster ovarian cells and hope to eventually produce this same technology in plant cells.
Earl White visits with WTAW’s Kat McMullen
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