LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Researchers at the University of Louisville are developing a new vaccine for cancer. The data the team has compiled proves to be 70 to 100% effective at preventing certain tumor growth in mouse models.

“We’re at the point where we can consistently prevent the development of impacted cancers and cancers caused by carcinogens,” said co-inventor Dr. John Eaton.

Prevention is key because, while conventional treatment and therapies may kill most of the cancer, a small percentage of cells are resistant. It is these cancer stem cells, which have the ability to reproduce and sustain the cancer.

A vaccine can help the body build immunity to cancer before it develops. Dr.  Kavitha Yaddanapudi is a co-inventor and a part of Dr. Eaton’s team. She says the initial work was mostly with lung cancer, but their tests have proved the vaccine can be effective across the board.

“Now our data shows it works across different cancer types,” said Dr. Yaddanapudi.

The team turned to Dr. Chi Li to help overcome hurdles they encountered in their research. His expertise as a molecular biologist with UofL proved to be very helpful.

The vaccine contains vesicles, unwanted materials, that have been released and collected from embryonic stem cells. The team has found these vesicles do the job just as well.

“They are also very effective to prevent cancer,” said Dr. Li.

The team said they will continue to try and simplify their vaccine. They aim to find the exact reason why the vaccine has had success in mouse models.

“If we can figure that out, we can go straight away into patients,” said Dr. Yaddanapudi. “Even now, we’re almost there to go into the patients because of the vaccine design we have right now.”

The team estimates the vaccine could be ready for human trials in the next 3 to 4 years.