First human patient injected with revolutionary cancer-killing virus
Scientists have injected the first human patient with a new cancer-killing virus. The virus, known as Vaxinia, has seen successful tests in animals. However, the true test of its efficacy begins with this new clinical trial.
It’s easy to hear the word virus and instantly think of something bad. After all, there are a lot of deadly viruses out there. However, scientists are using a new cancer-killing virus known as Vaxinia in an experimental cancer treatment.
The hope here is that the virus will amplify the body’s immune response against cancer. The virus itself has been engineered specifically to kill cancer cells. And, in previous animal trials, scientists have seen very promising results. These kinds of viruses have been a “smoking gun” in the fight against cancer for over a century.
However, the success of these viruses has been very limited, to say the least. This time around, though, the scientists have engineered the cancer-killing virus to not only harm cancer cells, but also to make them more recognizable to the body’s immune system. Researchers hope that this will help make the body’s response stronger, allowing it to fight back better.
