카이스트, '항암 나노백신 및 면역치료' 최적화 신기술 개발

Current immunotherapy for cancer only works on about a quarter of patients.
But a research group from KAIST has developed a nano-vaccine which could make this treatment method far more effective.
Our Jang Tae-hyun has more.
A research team from KAIST, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, has developed a nano-vaccine for cancer.
The nano-vaccine works by using nano-particles to carry tumor antigens to immune cells, so that the body's immune system can destroy the cancer cells.
Doctoral student Kim Yujin has spent the last five years working on how to use nano-particles to prevent tumors from growing.
She says this nano-vaccine can make current immunotherapy treatment more effective.
"Immune checkpoint blockade therapy has recently attracted attention as an anti-cancer therapy, but the problem is that the majority of cancer patients do not respond to this therapy."
According to a clinical study, the current treatment method only works on around a quarter of patients.
The nano-vaccine will activate our body's immune cells and prevent tumors from growing and relapsing.
"Also, we confirmed that use of our cancer nano-vaccines in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors can significantly enhance the therapeutic effect by considering the sequence and timing of administration."
The next step is further trials to determine how best to combine the nano-vaccine and the immune checkpoint blockade therapy.
"This nano-vaccine may be able to be commercialized in 10 years from now, but still long way to go."
After more clinical trials, the nano-vaccine will begin FDA checks.
Jang Tae-hyun, Arirang News, Daejeon.