Stomach cancer vaccine being researched in Sudbury
Ontario provides $250K in funding for vaccine for bacteria H. pylori
Groundbreaking research is underway in Sudbury to prevent stomach cancer, as researchers work on a vaccine for bacteria that causes the disease.
Sean Thompson, CEO of Lilly Creek Vaccines, says a successful vaccine would save lives.
"There are about a million cases diagnosed worldwide and approximately 700,000 deaths worldwide," he said. "So you can see from those numbers, once you're diagnosed with gastric cancer, the prognosis is very bad."
The province has invested $250,000 towards the research through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund, but Thompson says his team needs tens of millions of dollars more to complete their work.
The vaccine targets the H. pylori bacteria, which lives in the digestive tract and can lead to ulcers, gastritis and stomach cancer.
The goal is to use the vaccine in human clinical trials in Sudbury in the next two years and make it available five to eight years from now.
"This is really a major step forward to put Sudbury on the innovation map in biomedical sciences," Thompson said. "And we'll be doing our best to shine a light on the excellent work that's being done here in Sudbury."