Vaccine to fight stage four breast cancer

That is the aim that the Breast Cancer Foundation NZ (BCFNZ) and Ferrier Institute at Victoria University in Wellington hope to achieve with a new research partnership set to run for at least five years.

The first project in the new BCFNZ Ferrier Breast Cancer Research Programme will focus on developing a “therapeutic vaccine” for breast cancer. Excitingly, the first use of this vaccine is likely to be in patients with currently incurable cancer that has spread beyond the breast, or in those whose tumours are resistant to existing treatments and at risk of spreading. (Almost all breast cancer deaths are the result of cancer spreading; whereas cancer that is confined to the breast can be treated successfully.)

‘’It is the dream of every scientist to invent something that works and is translated into helping people, and I think we’re looking at the best opportunity, that I’ve had for many years, to do that right here now,” said Professor Richard Furneaux, Director of the Ferrier Research Institute.

The vaccine will work differently to regular vaccines given to healthy people to prevent disease developing. While not preventative, (the complexity of breast cancer means that this is not realistic) the therapeutic vaccine will focus on the patient’s own immune system, prompting it to find and destroy the breast cancer.

“The BCFNZ has a vision of no women dying from breast cancer and we would like to contribute to that through having synthetic vaccines that teach women’s bodies to eliminate their cancers,” said Professor Furneaux.

Breast Cancer Foundation NZ has pledged an initial $500,000 to the BCFNZ Ferrier Breast Cancer Research Programme and is looking forward to the partnership with Ferrier’s team of leading chemists. A world leader in the immunotherapy field, Ferrier is working alongside the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York currently developing trials for drugs such as leukaemia and lymphoma, as part of a 20-year working relationship. Additionally, the team is working to commercialise vaccine technology to help New Zealanders through their biotechnology company, Avalia Immunotherapies. Avalia’s CEO is Dr Shivali Gulab, a former NZBIO Young Bioscientist of the Year.

“Our vision is zero deaths from breast cancer. That can’t happen without significant investment in game-changing areas, and right now vaccines are top of the list,” said Evangelia Henderson, chief executive at BCFNZ. “We’re so grateful to all our supporters who helped make this programme possible, and who will be as excited as we are about the fantastic work at Ferrier.”

Watch the video here.