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mRNA cancer therapy now in human trials after shrinking mouse tumours

By Alice Klein

8 September 2021

mRNA bound to RNA binding protein

Molecular model of messenger RNA (pink) complexed with an RNA binding protein (light blue)

LAGUNA DESIGN/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

A cancer treatment that uses messenger RNA to launch an immune attack on cancer cells can completely shrink tumours in mice and is now being tested in people.

Messenger RNAs – or mRNAs – are molecules that instruct cells to make proteins. They have risen to fame with the roll out of mRNA covid-19 vaccines.

BioNTech, the German company that developed Pfizer’s mRNA covid-19 vaccine, is now testing whether mRNAs can be used to treat cancer…

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