The Metropolitan Hospital, a member of the Hellenic Healthcare Group (HHG), is contributing to a revolutionary initiative for the treatment of cancer, participating in the first clinical study carried out worldwide with the principal investigator Professor Mr. Dimitrios Bafaloukos, Director of the Oncology Clinic at the Metropolitan Hospital, for the vaccination of patients with cutaneous melanoma with mRNA vaccine.

At the Metropolitan Hospital, one of the special reference centers in Greece for the study, patients with high-risk cutaneous melanoma will be vaccinated free of charge with the personalized mRNA vaccine designed with their own neoantigens, while simultaneously undergoing classical immunotherapy (Pembrolizumab).

The international clinical study is being carried out after the announcement of the first promising results from receiving the m-RNA_4157 vaccine in combination with immunotherapy in more than 1,000 patients from various countries, including Greece.

The m-RNA cancer vaccine is a pioneering therapeutic intervention that aims to activate the immune system in a way that will attack existing cancer cells. Today, its action is being studied in skin melanoma, while soon it is expected to be tested for lung, prostate, pancreatic and other types of cancer.

“We may be in the midst of a new revolution against cancer! We expect very important results for its action in combination with immunotherapy, which in itself was an important step in the treatment and treatment of cancer” said Mr. Dimitris Bafaloukos, Oncologist-Pathologist, Om. Professor at the University of Western Attica, President of the Hellenic Melanoma Society and Director of the First Oncology Clinic at the Metropolitan Hospital.

The cutaneous melanoma vaccine is based on the mRNA vaccine technology developed by Professors Drew Weissman and Katalin Kariko who received the 2023 Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology for their contribution to the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

About the Metropolitan Hospital

A member of the Hellenic Healthcare Group, the largest private healthcare group, and since its establishment in 2001, Metropolitan Hospital has established itself in the private healthcare industry as a leading treatment center in Greece and internationally. It utilizes state-of-the-art medical equipment and diagnostic tools, offering high-quality health services with respect for the patient. It develops innovative medical services and maintains partnerships with standard nursing centers and scientific institutions abroad. On an annual basis, approximately 35,000 patients are hospitalized in its 300 beds, while 350,000 patients are treated in the outpatient clinics and the Emergency Department. It works with more than 1,500 doctors and employs approximately 800 nurses and paramedical staff.