Immunization Newsbriefs (c) Copyright Information Inc., Bethesda, MD. Brought to you by the National Network for Immunization Information (NNii). Visit NNii's new website at http://www.immunizationinfo.org.

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March 22, 2002

INTERNATIONAL IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Tetanus, New Weapon in the Fight Against Breast Cancer"

Press Association (UK) (www.pressassociation.press.net) (03/20/02); Borg, Laura

At the recent European Breast Cancer Conference in Barcelona, doctors revealed that the tetanus toxin is being used to create a vaccine against breast cancer.  The vaccine, called Auto Vac, is currently in trials.  Auto Vac is designed to activate the body's natural immune system and train it to destroy cancer cells while at the same time leaving normal tissue containing similar proteins alone.  According to Dr. Dana Leach, manager of pre-clinical development and immunopharmacology at the Pharmexa, the Danish company that created Auto Vac, the trial involves 27 patients with advanced breast cancer and it is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

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