Using genetically modified virus to treat cancer, tumors shrink after 28 days

After two months of being injected with the genetically modified virus, the cancerous tumor lesions of two patients disappeared; the tumors of the other two people shrank after 28 days.

China's new treatment is opening up much hope for cancer patients - Illustration photo: REUTERS

According to SCMP , Chinese scientists announced that they have found a way to create cancer-fighting immune cells in the human body using gene editing technology, helping to shorten treatment time and cut costs by more than 80% compared to traditional therapy.

The new therapy is a variation of CAR-T, a cutting-edge immunotherapy currently used to treat blood cancers, asthma and some autoimmune diseases.

Traditional CAR-T requires taking T cells from a patient’s body, growing and genetically modifying them in a lab, and then infusing them back into the body. This process is both expensive and lengthy, with costs that can exceed 1 million yuan (about $139,000) for a single treatment in China.

In a new study published in The Lancet , a team of experts at the Union Hospital of Tongji Medical University (Wuhan) used a genetically modified virus to inject directly into the patient's body. This virus will find T cells and program them to attack cancer cells without the need for intervention outside the body.

The research team asserted: "This is a ready-to-use product, no longer a drug formulated for each individual."

In a phase 1 trial, the team treated four patients with multiple myeloma – the second most common blood cancer – with a single injection. The treatment took just 72 hours, rather than the 3-6 weeks required for traditional CAR-T therapy.

After two months of follow-up, two patients achieved strict complete remission (tumor lesions disappeared), and the remaining two achieved partial remission (tumor shrinkage after 28 days).

A Chinese social media platform specializing in cell therapy called it a “milestone” in the field, and said that if tested on a larger scale, the technology could completely change the current “custom medicine” model.

Previously, in June, Capstan Therapeutics (USA) also announced the successful testing of a system to introduce genes into the body to create CAR-T in vivo on mice, with positive results in controlling tumors. However, China is the first country to apply this technique on humans.

Scientists consider this a breakthrough, opening up great prospects in popularizing immunotherapy to more patients, not only in treating cancer but also chronic diseases such as asthma and autoimmune diseases.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/dung-vi-rut-bien-doi-gene-tri-ung-thu-khoi-u-nho-lai-sau-28-ngay-20250719155921947.htm