Husband Wife Duo Behind Covid Shot Say Cancer Vaccines Could Come By 2030

Vaccines that fight cancer could be a reality before the end of this pandemic, according to the husband wife duo that created one of the most used Covid-19 vaccines.

U?ur ?ahin and ?zlem T¨¹reci are the founders of BioNTech, the German company that worked with Pfizer to create the game changing mRNA Covid-19 vaccine.

Reuters

In conversation with BBC, Professor T¨¹reci explained how the mRNA technology that was used to create this Covid-19 vaccine could be repurposed. This would make the immune system attack cancer cells instead of coronaviruses. According to Professor ?ahin, such vaccines could see the light of day "before 2030."

mRNA vaccines work by transmitting genetic instructions for the spike proteins on the Covid-19 virus in the body. Then, cells take up these instructions and create the spike protein. Not much later, these proteins tell the immune system to attack the virus.

Developing cancer vaccines

Scientists think that cancer cells could be destroyed using the same approach. In fact, BioNTech was working on cancer vaccines before Covid-19 hit, but then changed their approach to help deal with the global emergency.

Also read: Scientists Tricked Mosquitoes Into Delivering Malaria Vaccines To People They Bite

Reuters

Besides cancer, BioNTech wants to develop treatments for bowel cancer, melanoma, and various other types of cancer. However, the road is not simple. Cancer cells in tumours can have a variety of different proteins. Making a vaccine that targets all cancer cells and no healthy tissues could prove to be difficult.

BBC

Owing to the success of their Covid-19 shot, BioNTech now has a better understanding of how mRNA vaccines work in the human body. In turn, this could help accelerate the development of a cancer vaccine.

Also read: World¡¯s First Needle-Free Nasal Vaccine For COVID-19 Approved In China

Reuters

What do you think about the potential of a cancer vaccine? Let us know in the comments below. For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com.

References

Sample, I. (2022, October 17). Vaccines to treat cancer possible by 2030, say BioNTech founders. The Guardian. Retrieved October 17, 2022, from https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/oct/16/vaccines-to-treat-cancer-possible-by-2030-say-biontech-founders?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other