A personalized immunotherapy has recently been approved for canine osteosarcoma, a bone cancer diagnosed in about 10,000 dogs each year.

The first step of production involves collecting some of the patient’s cancer cells, which the manufacturer uses to create vaccine unique to that dog’s cancer.

Next, some of the dog’s T cells are collected once they’ve been exposed to the cancer vaccine’s antigens. These T cells are sent to the manufacturer where their cancer cell-fighting properties are unleashed. These super-primed T cells are then delivered intravenously back to the patient, followed by another immune-boosting agent.

The goal is that the dog’s immune system then would recognize and destroy osteosarcoma cells.