WANA (Sep 21) – The head of the Biotechnology Research Center at Tehran University of Medical Sciences has announced the development of the first personalized and smart vaccine against lung cancer. The vaccine, based on mRNA technology and artificial intelligence algorithms, is designed to drastically accelerate the production process.

 

Mohammad Hossein Yazdi, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy in Tehran, stated that the vaccine is tailored using genetic data from each patient’s tumor and advanced predictive algorithms, allowing it to be designed in just two to three weeks. According to him, this innovation “reduces vaccine development time by up to 90 percent” and can be used both for treatment and for prevention in high-risk individuals.

 

Explaining the difference from conventional approaches, Yazdi noted: “Unlike traditional methods that require extensive trial and error, this vaccine identifies the best candidate before entering clinical phases by relying on genetic data and AI predictions.”

Mohammad Hossein Yazdi, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy in Tehran. Social media / WANA News Agency

Mohammad Hossein Yazdi, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy in Tehran. Social media / WANA News Agency

The project is built on the mRNA platform — the same technology used in COVID-19 vaccines — which cut development time from five to ten years down to about one year. Yazdi highlighted regulatory approval as the main challenge ahead, stressing that just as flexibility was shown during the pandemic, scientific bodies should also facilitate innovation in the field of cancer.

 

He also emphasized the cost-effectiveness of this method: “The global experience with COVID-19 vaccines showed that mRNA technology can deliver high-quality, affordable products. We expect the same outcome for the cancer vaccine.”

 

According to Yazdi, the vaccine is still in the research phase and has no foreign counterpart. While the design and production process is short, clinical trials will take at least two to three years. The ultimate goal, he said, is to launch this innovative product internationally, in step with leading countries.