A particle of mRNA from a tumor-specific protein in the cancer cells is injected into cells, prompting the patient’s immune system to fight the active cancer cells. This occurs in much the same way that the immune system attacks bacteria or viruses, for example. “In other words, it’s not a preventative vaccine,” Gerard Bos says, “but a treatment for cancer. It’s definitely promising, and we have managed to secure funding for the clinical trials. We want to start with about 35 patients at the teaching hospitals in Maastricht and Nijmegen, the number we need to provide scientific evidence. The production of the vaccine costs around €35,000 per patient, so we’re talking about a million Euros total. This doesn’t include other expenses, such as personnel costs, materials, and so on.”

Vaccin

“It’s actually more ‘will’ than ‘expected to’”, Gerard Bos adds. “Researchers and doctors worldwide are reporting positive results with immunotherapy that helps patients’ own immune systems attack and destroy cancer cells. Here in Maastricht, we are focusing specifically on developing a vaccine to fight lung cancer. Lab tests have shown that the vaccine has a strong activating effect on the immune system. We have high expectations that this will allow us to offer a therapy that will extend life expectancy and perhaps eventually result in a complete cure. We’re now ready for the clinical phase where we can test the vaccine on humans.”