Germany-based biotechnology company BioNTech developes World’s first lung cancer vaccine

The world’s first lung cancer vaccine has been developed by the Germany-based biotechnology company BioNTech, led by CEO Prof. Dr. Uğur Şahin. The first phase of trials for this groundbreaking vaccine has begun in seven countries, including Turkey.

BioNTech’s new vaccine, known as BNT116, is designed to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the most common form of lung cancer. Experts have described the vaccine as “revolutionary” with the potential to save thousands of lives.

The vaccine works by training the body to hunt down and kill cancer cells and then prevent them from returning. It uses the mRNA technology, similar to that used in COVID-19 vaccines, which transfers synthetic RNA molecules into human cells. This helps the immune system recognize tumor markers and prepares the body to fight cancer cells.

The first human trial of BNT116, known as Phase 1, has started at 34 research centers across the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Spain, and Turkey. The first phase aims to include a total of 130 patients from these seven countries, with 20 participants from the UK alone

According to The Guardian, the first person to receive the vaccine was 67-year-old Janusz Racz from the UK. Diagnosed with lung cancer in May, Racz began chemotherapy and radiotherapy shortly after. An expert in artificial intelligence, Racz said his profession inspired him to participate in the trial, stating, “I am a scientist too, and I understand that the advancement of science, especially in medicine, relies on people agreeing to take part in such research.”