China Greenlights Groundbreaking mRNA Tumor Vaccine for Clinical Trials
Chengdu, The Gulf Observer: China’s Center for Drug Evaluation of the National Medical Products Administration has granted approval for Phase-I clinical trials of an mRNA vaccine targeting Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) positive tumors. The vaccine, developed independently by WestGene Biopharma, a biotech company based in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, marks a significant advancement in the field of tumor immunotherapy.
Earlier this year, in May, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Investigational New Drug (IND) approval for the vaccine, and WestGene Biopharma has already completed Investigator-Initiated Trials in treating nasopharyngeal carcinoma and lymphoma.
Epstein-Barr virus, classified as a Group-I carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, is the first human oncogenic virus to be discovered, according to Song Xiangrong, a co-founder of WestGene Biopharma. The virus is linked to more than 10 types of malignant tumors, including nasopharyngeal carcinoma, lymphoma, and gastric cancer.
The development of this mRNA tumor therapeutic vaccine represents a major breakthrough in mRNA innovative drugs and tumor immunotherapy. Song emphasized that this vaccine could pave the way for new treatment options for various cancers associated with EBV.
WestGene Biopharma plans to conduct clinical trials across China to expedite the application and availability of this mRNA vaccine, potentially offering new hope to patients with EBV-associated malignancies.
