Researchers at Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz in Germany are conducting early human studies for a "universal cancer vaccine."
Unlike typical vaccines, ProscaVax is given to patients after a cancer diagnosis. The vaccine wraps cancer RNA in a fatty acid membrane and gives it a negative charge, alerting T cells to recognize and destroy the cancer cells.
Scientists believe they can tweak the vaccine to address any type of cancer.
So far, the study has only been conducted on three melanoma patients, but the data proves promising. Researchers have deemed the trial a success in demonstrating the safety of the vaccine, as side effects were limited to flu-like symptoms.
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