Australian Entrepreneur Develops Personalized mRNA Vaccine for Dog with Terminal Cancer

Australian tech entrepreneur Paul Conyngham has developed a personalized mRNA cancer vaccine for his 8-year-old rescue dog, Rose, who was diagnosed with terminal mast cell cancer. Conyngham, lacking a medical background but experienced in machine learning and data analysis, utilized artificial intelligence tools, including ChatGPT and AlphaFold, to design the vaccine. The RNA Institute at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) manufactured the vaccine based on sequences derived from Rose's tumor DNA.

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The development process began with sequencing Rose's tumor DNA, which involved converting tissue into data to identify targetable mutations. Conyngham stated, "We took her tumor, we sequenced the DNA, we converted it from like tissue to data and then we used that to sort of find, search for the problem in her DNA and then develop a cure based off that." The UNSW team, led by Professor Pall Thordarson, initially expressed skepticism about completing the project in time. However, they delivered the vaccine to Conyngham in under two months, allowing for timely administration to Rose.

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Following vaccination, Rose's condition showed significant improvement. Conyngham reported that the vaccine reduced approximately 75 percent of the cancer, leading to enhanced mobility and behavior in Rose. He noted, "At the start of December…her mobility was way down...toward the end of January, she was jumping over a fence to chase a rabbit." Thordarson acknowledged the project's success, stating, "It’s just been an amazing project for us to be involved in."

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The case underscores the potential of AI in rapid, bespoke biomedical design for cancer treatment. Thordarson highlighted that companies like Moderna are exploring personalized cancer vaccines, suggesting that this project could pave the way for democratizing such technology in Australia. He remarked, "We can actually do this here…that means we can democratize this technology in Australia, and we can also use it for other diseases possibly…neurological diseases, for instance."

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Conyngham and his collaborators are currently investigating why a portion of the cancer did not respond to the vaccine. They have sequenced the non-responsive tumor and are exploring the potential for developing an additional vaccine. Conyngham expressed optimism about the future, stating, "I think it’s added considerable life span and health span to Rose."

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While the initial results are promising, there remains a need for further research to understand the non-responsive tumor segment. The specifics of the ongoing investigations and potential future vaccines have not been fully disclosed.

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• "Rose is my best mate, and she’s been with me through really tough times…when she was handed this sentence [a terminal cancer diagnosis], I felt I had to do my part for her as well." — Paul Conyngham, Entrepreneur

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• "I thought this might take too long...I just didn’t think we could do this this quickly and it would be in time to really help Rose." — Professor Pall Thordarson, UNSW

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• "Absolutely…there are companies, including Moderna, who are working on personalized cancer vaccines." — Professor Pall Thordarson, UNSW

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