Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: One martyr reported in Israeli drone strike targeting motorcycle in Ain Qana.
Israeli media: Sirens sound in Nahal Oz settlement in Gaza Envelope.
Syria: Local sources report that General Security forces targeted the camp of French fighters from the 'al-Ghuraba division' in the Idlib countryside with mortar and tank shells.
Syria: Local sources report a general military mobilization of foreign fighters in Idlib following armed clashes in the “French Camp” in the Idlib countryside.
Syria: Local sources report that International Coalition forces carried out an airdrop operation on a house in the village of al-Kassar, eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor.
Local sources: 3 killed, 7 injured in attack on transport bus in Idlib countryside, Syria
The 'French faction' in Idlib announces that Syrian security forces are preparing to attack its camp amid accusations that it is collaborating with ISIS.
Palestinian media: Israeli occupation forces storm the Old City in the center of Nablus, occupied West Bank
Local sources to Al Mayadeen: Sudanese army forces drones strike town of Kabkabiya, North Darfur.
Syrian Observatory: The plane is loaded with air defense systems and heavy weapons as part of US troop reinforcements to its bases in northeastern Syria

Messenger RNA cancer therapy administered to first patients in UK

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 4 Feb 2024 10:11
  • 1 Shares
3 Min Read

The research that is still in its early stages and can take years to become available to patients seems very promising.

  • x
  • Research scientist Kevin Potts uses ovarian cancer cells to set up an experiment at UW Medicine's Cancer Vaccine Institute Thursday, May 25, 2023, in Seattle.(AP)
    Research scientist Kevin Potts uses ovarian cancer cells to set up an experiment at UW Medicine's Cancer Vaccine Institute on Thursday, May 25, 2023, in Seattle. (AP)

At Hammersmith Hospital in West London, mRNA therapy, a revolutionary new cancer treatment, has been administered to the first UK patients to evaluate the therapy’s safety and effectiveness in treating melanoma, lung cancer, and other solid tumors.

An investigator with the trial's UK arm, Dr. David Pinato of Imperial College London, stated, “New mRNA-based cancer immunotherapies offer an avenue for recruiting the patient’s own immune system to fight their cancer."

“We desperately need these to turn the tide against cancer,” he added, noting that this trial is fundamental for helping develop less toxic and more accurate new anti-cancer therapies, knowing that this research is still in its early stages and could take years before becoming available for patients.

What is messenger RNA therapy?

Related News

Russia to begin treating patients with AI-designed cancer vaccine

Russia completes preclinical trials of cancer vaccine, seeks approval

Several cancer vaccines have recently entered clinical trials worldwide. They fall under two categories: personalized cancer immunotherapies and therapeutic cancer immunotherapies. The first category relies on extracting a patient’s genetic material from their tumors while the second one, such as the mRNA therapy newly initiated in London, is “ready-made” and tailored to a particular type of cancer.

Messenger RNA therapy uses the genetic material known as messenger RNA, or mRNA, which works by presenting common markers from tumors to the patient’s immune system as its goal is to help the latter recognize and fight cancer cells that express those markers.

The main goal of the new trial, known as Mobilize, is to evaluate the safety of this particular type of mRNA therapy and to determine whether it's tolerated by patients with lung or skin cancers and can shrink tumors. It can be administered in two ways: the first one entails introducing the genetic material alone and the second one entails the same aforementioned step combined with the existing cancer drug pembrolizumab.

There is hope

Researchers believe that even though experimental therapy is still in the early stages of testing, it may eventually lead to a new treatment option for difficult-to-treat cancers if the approach is proven to be safe and effective.

It is important to note that nearly one in two people in the UK will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime.

Chemotherapy and immune therapies are part of a wide range of therapies that have been developed to treat patients, but cancer cells have become resistant to drugs. Hence, tumors have become more difficult to treat, which is pushing scientists to find new methods for fighting cancers.

The new mRNA therapy, after being preclinically tested in both cell and animal models of cancer, had an effect on the immune system, which indicates that it could be offered to patients in early-phase clinical trials.

  • Cancer
  • mRNA
  • cancer treatment
  • UK
  • mRNA therapy

Most Read

Yemeni Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Mohammad Abd al-Karim al-Ghamari , during a ceremony in an undisclosed locations in Yemen, undate (Yemeni Military Media)

Yemeni Armed Forces mourn martyred Chief of Staff al-Ghamari

  • Politics
  • 16 Oct 2025
How an Israeli-backed firm spied on US churches to push propaganda

How an Israeli-backed firm spied on US churches to push propaganda

  • Politics
  • 15 Oct 2025
From previous scenes of the Qassam Brigades targeting an Israeli D9 bulldozer with a Yassin 105 shell, east of Deir al-Balah. (Military Media of the Qassam Brigades)

US knew fatal Rafah blast cause was not Hamas op., says journalist

  • Politics
  • 20 Oct 2025
Smoke and fire rises after 'Israel' launched airstrikes on the village of Ansar, Lebanon, October 16, 2025 (social media)

'Israel' launches two waves of brutal strikes on east, south Lebanon

  • Politics
  • 16 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
An Israeli settler stands over a woman who was harvesting olives after assaulting her, October 19, 2025 (social media)
Politics

West Bank sees 757 Israeli settler attacks in one year

The OpenAI logo appears on a mobile phone in front of a screen showing part of the company website in this photo taken on Nov. 21, 2023 (AP)
Technology

OpenAI unveils new search browser built around chatGPT

White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, from right, and War Secretary Pete Hegseth listen as President Donald Trump meets in the Cabinet Room of the White House, Monday, October 20, 2025, in Washington (AP)
Politics

‘Your mom’ politics take over Trump administration

Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem during a public address on October 21, 2025 (Screengrab)
Politics

Sheikh Qassem: Lebanon stability depends on ending Israeli aggression

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS