First Therapeutic Vaccine for Advanced Lung Cancer Registered in the World

First Therapeutic Vaccine for Advanced Lung Cancer Registered in the World

Between 1980 and 2008, the mortality rate from lung cancer in women has doubled. Each year it is seen a growth of 1.7%, while among men the rate is being reduced by 2%. Today, 28.6% of women aged 18 to 64 years and is estimated that 7.6 million people died just 2008 due to lung cancer, a number that it is expected to increased to eleven million in 2030.

It is quite possible that two of the biggest concerns of health-related the citizens express in any country in the world are AIDS and cancer. Although there are other diseases that have less “press” and charge a huge amount of victims every year, especially in tropical regions, the truth is that getting a vaccine effective against cancer or AIDS are among the main objectives of laboratories around the world.

Fortunately, the battle against lung cancer has won a new step: it is a therapeutic vaccine rather than preventive, developed by recombinant technology advanced lung cancer, CimaVax-EGF, that was created in Cuba by scientists at the Molecular Immunology Center Havana.

This Cuban drug was prepared after 15 years of research and is currently being administered in 65 health centers in Cuba and have taken steps necessary to register in Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and several other nations.

According to Cuban experts, the drug can not prevent disease but to control advanced cancer to generate antibodies against proteins that trigger the uncontrolled cell proliferation processes.

It consists of a therapeutic tool that is part of the field of immunotherapy, in which it is intended that the patient’s immune system triggers an effective response to control the growth of tumors.

The vaccine is composed of epidermal growth factor protein and P-64 K of the membrane, obtained by recombinant means. The vaccine was successfully applied to more than 1000 patients in Cuba, where his health record was held in June 2008.

The result is that the vaccine extends survival time of patients, but does not prevent or cure lung cancer.

Specialists described the vaccine as “very promising” that soon others will come into being tested in China and will open doors in Asia. Is also expected next clinical trial in countries like Australia, Thailand, Malaysia and Britain.

According to Gonzalez (the proyect leader) they are still workings with the principle of this vaccine with the intent to use in developing therapies against other tumors such as prostate, uterus and breast cancer.