Test virus 'kill cancer cells'

Chinese scientists will test the M1 virus, which is thought to be able to kill cancer cells without harming normal cells, on the monkey body next week.

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According to Shanghaiist, this is a study by the expert group of Zhongshan University, Guangdong Province, headed by professor Yan Guanngmei.M1 is an alphavirus (oncolytic alphavirus ), derived from a mosquito species found in Hainan province. Virus M1 can limit the growth of cancer cells without harming other normal cells.

M1 virus research team, headed by professor Yan Guangmei (wearing glasses, middle) at Zhongshan University.(Photo: CRI)

In the next week, the trial will be applied to monkeys to check for side effects. Yan and his colleagues are very optimistic about the results, because an M1 virus can kill 10 cancer cells. It shows that it has a relatively large power.

"Chinese scientists have discovered this mosquito since 1964. Our success is to prove that the virus from this mosquito can be used in cancer treatments," said Professor Yan. to speak. The evaluation results show that M1 works with cancer cells in the liver, bladder, colon and rectum.

According to Yan, previous tests were carried out on rats and rabbits. The team plans to complete the first phase of clinical trials within three years, before it can be applied to humans.

In the 2013 report of Chinese Medical magazine, in China, about 6 people are diagnosed with cancer every minute. The annual rate of new cancer cases in this country is 3.12, resulting in the death toll of more than two million people each year.