Cancer vaccines started out as prevention. Think Gardasil for cervical and oral cancers caused by HPV, and the hepatitis B vaccine for liver cancer.
But today the science has moved on, to therapy vaccines. Vaccines that take immune cells and "rub their little noses in the antigen" - the substance that forces the body to sit up and take notice of a foreign invader or unusual activity.
Clinical trials abound, by some of the heavy hitters in mRNA and pharmaceuticals, but nothing yet has been commercialised. Wilsons Advisory senior equity analyst Dr Shane Storey reckons we're five years away from a vaccine from the most-likely candidate of mRNA.
In this episode we talk to the coinventor of the first smash hit in cancer vaccines, Gardasil, professor Dr Ian Frazer, and Shane about where the field has come from, and where it's going.
Produced by Rachel Williamson and Charis Palmer. Music and effect credits to Ziso, Inspector J, Seth Parson and Boom Library.
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