LungVax Could Become the World’s First Vaccine to Help Prevent Lung Cancer
Scientists in the UK are working on a new vaccine called LungVax that could one day help prevent lung cancer before it even starts.
The vaccine is being developed by researchers from the University of Oxford, University College London, and the Francis Crick Institute. It uses technology similar to the Oxford AstraZeneca COVID 19 vaccine that became widely known during the pandemic.
Researchers believe LungVax could train the immune system to spot and destroy dangerous lung cells early before they grow into cancer.
The project has already received more than £1.7 million in funding from Cancer Research UK and the CRIS Cancer Foundation. The funding will support laboratory research and the production of around 3,000 vaccine doses at Oxford’s Clinical Biomanufacturing Facility over the next two years.
While the vaccine is still in the early stages scientists say it could become an important step toward preventing one of the world’s deadliest cancers.
What Is LungVax?
LungVax is an experimental vaccine designed to help stop lung cancer from developing in people who are at high risk of the disease.
Unlike traditional cancer treatments that are used after cancer appears LungVax is being developed as a preventive vaccine. The goal is to train the body to recognize warning signs linked to lung cancer and destroy abnormal cells before tumors form.
Researchers say this approach could be especially important for current and former smokers who face a much higher risk of developing lung cancer later in life.
How Does LungVax Work?
LungVax works by teaching the immune system how to recognize abnormal lung cells that may eventually become cancer.
When healthy cells turn cancerous changes happen inside their DNA. These changes create unusual proteins called neoantigens. Scientists describe these proteins as warning signals because they are different from the proteins found in normal healthy cells.
The problem is that the immune system often does not notice these dangerous cells early enough. Cancer can slowly grow and spread before the body realizes something is wrong.
The LungVax vaccine is designed to solve that problem.
The vaccine contains genetic instructions that help train immune cells to recognize neoantigens linked to lung cancer. Once the immune system learns what to look for it may be able to attack and destroy abnormal cells before cancer fully develops.
Researchers say the technology works in a similar way to the Oxford AstraZeneca COVID 19 vaccine. Both use a harmless viral delivery system to safely carry genetic material into the body and trigger an immune response.
Scientists hope this could allow the body to stop certain lung cancers during their earliest stages long before symptoms appear.
What Scientists Say About LungVax
Scientists involved in the project believe LungVax could become a major breakthrough in cancer prevention.
Professor Sarah Blagden from the University of Oxford said the vaccine represents a new way of fighting lung cancer before it begins.
“We are developing a vaccine to stop the formation of lung cancer in people at high risk. This is an important step forward in preventing this devastating disease.”
Professor Tim Elliott who leads the LungVax research team at Oxford also explained why cancer can be difficult for the immune system to detect naturally.
“Cancer is a disease of our own bodies and it is hard for the immune system to distinguish between what is normal and what is cancer.”
Researchers believe the vaccine could potentially target around 90% of lung cancer cases based on computer models and previous research.
Human Trials Are The Next Step
Scientists are now preparing for the next stage of the project which includes early human clinical trials.
The first trial is expected to study the vaccine’s safety and ability to trigger an immune response in people who have a high risk of lung cancer returning after treatment.
Researchers say the first phase will involve a small number of participants while scientists closely monitor side effects and immune activity.
If the results are successful larger trials could follow in the coming years.
LungVax Is Not a Replacement for Quitting Smoking
Researchers stress that LungVax is not meant to replace quitting smoking which remains the best way to lower lung cancer risk.
However scientists believe the vaccine could still become an important tool for prevention especially for people who already face a high risk of developing the disease.
Professor Mariam Jamal Hanjani explained that the goal is to prevent some cancers from forming in the first place rather than replace healthy lifestyle choices.
A New Direction for Cancer Prevention
For years most cancer vaccines focused on treating people who already had cancer. LungVax is different because it aims to stop cancer before it starts.
Researchers believe advances in immunotherapy genetics and vaccine technology are opening the door to a completely new way of preventing disease.
Although LungVax is still experimental scientists say the project could mark the beginning of a new generation of cancer prevention vaccines that may one day save thousands of lives every year.