Blog

A breast cancer vaccine which is 10 years in the making was invented and developed by Cleveland Clinic immunologist Dr. Vincent Tuohy.

Breast Cancer Affects Hundreds of Thousands of Woman

Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer. In fact, 300,000 people will have breast cancer in the U.S. this year alone. The question is what if breast cancer could be wiped out altogether? Cleveland Clinic caregivers say they’re doing well after vaccinations.

Breast Cancer Vaccinations Need to Accelerate

“We know enough about the immune system now to try these things. We have the ability, but we’re at a snail pace and should be on warp speed pace,” Tuohy said.

The Cleveland Clinic has partnered with Anixa Biosciences. This company has an exclusive worldwide license to the new technology.

Technology Works Against Protein

An explanation of how the technology works to immunize against a protein that is found in the mammary glands of women. This is during the latter part of gestation and during lactation. The protein is a precursor to cancer.

Teaching the Immune System Another way

It is not totally clear why, but it starts being made there repeatedly. We have to just teach the immune system to start getting rid of the cells that make that protein. In fact, they are those cancer cells, said Dr. Amit Kumar, President, and CEO of Anixa.

Pre-Clinical Trials on Animals

Conducted on animals showed 100 percent of mice during pre-clinical trials. They did not get a vaccination and got the placebo. Therefore, they developed mammary cancer and died.

Vaccine for Triple-Negative Mammary Cancer

The initial focus of the vaccine is triple-negative mammary cancer. This is the most lethal cancer. In fact, it supposed to eventually prevent other forms of cancer, including ovarian.

Hope for the Future with 21st Century Vaccine Program

This vision is for a 21st-century vaccine program at the Cleveland Clinic. This program would prevent diseases that we confront with age. We believe are completely preventable, said Tuohy. We want to bring our vaccine program up to the 21st century. Mammary cancer, ovarian cancer, and possibly prostate cancer, are all preventable diseases.

Good News for the Breast Cancer Vaccine and Those Affected With it

Human clinical trials for the breast cancer vaccine may start by Spring 2021. This is now possible because of the FDA clearance.