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Triple-threat viral vaccine cures abdominal cancer in animal models
March 2, 2017
A study led by Dr.
Rebecca Auer
found that a personalized viral vaccine can effectively fight the spread of abdominal cancer in animal models. This spread, called peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC), is a leading cause of death in patients with abdominal cancers. It is rarely cured by surgery or chemotherapy. However, results published in the
Cancer Immunology
show that a cell vaccine made with an individual’s cancer cells combined with a cancer-fighting virus was able to achieve long-lasting cures in animal models of PC. This vaccine uses a triple-threat to attack the cancer. First, the virus only infects and kills cancer cells, leaving healthy cells unscathed. Second, the virus produces a protein called interleukin-12, which boosts the immune system’s natural ability to fight the tumour. Third, as a result, the vaccine trains the immune system to recognize and fight off the same kind of tumour if it ever comes back. Dr. Auer and her colleagues recently received a
grant
from BioCanRx to optimize this therapy and prepare for clinical trials.
Authors:
Almohanad A. Alkayyal, Lee-Hwa Tai, Michael A Kennedy, Christiano Tanese de Souza, Jiqing Zhang, Charles Lefebvre, Shalini Sahi, Abhirami A. Ananth, Ahmad BakurMahmoud, Andrew P. Makrigiannis, Greg O Cron, Blair Macdonald, E. Celia Marginean, David F Stojdl, John C. Bell, Rebecca C Auer
Funders:
Terry Fox Research Institute, Canadian Cancer Society Research Institute, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, University of Tabuk, Ontario Ministry of Research, Innovation and Science, The Ottawa Hospital Foundation
The Ottawa Hospital: Inspired by research. Driven by compassion
The Ottawa Hospital is one of Canada’s largest learning and research hospitals with over 1,100 beds, approximately 12,000 staff and an annual budget of over $1.2 billion. Our focus on research and learning helps us develop new and innovative ways to treat patients and improve care. As a multi-campus hospital, affiliated with the University of Ottawa, we deliver specialized care to the Eastern Ontario region, but our techniques and research discoveries are adopted around the world. We engage the community at all levels to support our vision for better patient care. See www.ohri.ca for more information about research at The Ottawa Hospital.
University of Ottawa: —A crossroads of cultures and ideas
The University of Ottawa is home to over 50,000 students, faculty and staff, who live, work and study in both French and English. Our campus is a crossroads of cultures and ideas, where bold minds come together to inspire game-changing ideas. We are one of Canada’s top 10 research universities—our professors and researchers explore new approaches to today’s challenges. One of a handful of Canadian universities ranked among the top 200 in the world, we attract exceptional thinkers and welcome diverse perspectives from across the globe. www.uottawa.ca
For further information, please contact
Amelia Buchanan
Senior Communication Specialist
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
Office: 613-798-5555 x 73687
Cell: 613-297-8315
ambuchanan@ohri.ca