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UTMB: Zika vaccine shows promise in fight against brain cancer

Glioblastoma is the same form of cancer that recently claimed the life of Sen. John McCain.
Credit: urfinguss
Zika virus in blood with red blood cells, a virus which causes Zika fever found in Brazil and other tropical countries

GALVESTON — A vaccine meant to destroy the Zika virus is showing promise in the fight against the deadliest form of brain cancer, according to researchers at The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.

They say their Zika vaccine targeted and destroyed glioblastoma cancer cells without harming healthy cells in mice.

Glioblastoma is the same form of cancer that recently claimed the life of Sen. John McCain.

“Because Zika virus has natural glioblastoma-killing properties, we tested the safety and effectiveness of our potential Zika virus vaccine in treating mice that were given human glioblastoma tumors,” UTMB’s Pei-Yong Shi said. “We found that the Zika vaccine caused no neurological symptoms or behavioral abnormalities while significantly reducing tumor growth and prolonging survival.”

The potential Zika vaccine also activated the body’s natural tumor-fighting mechanisms.

The Zika vaccine developed by UTMB scientists is scheduled to begin clinical trials.

The findings are currently available in MBio.

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