The investigational therapy combines mRNA technology with immunotherapy to train the immune system to target cancer cells after surgery
In a new milestone in precision cancer medicine for the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (The Institute) and McGill University’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, a patient at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) is the first person in Canada to receive a new investigational therapy using mRNA technology to combat bladder cancer.
The therapy is being tested under the leadership Ramy Saleh, MD, Assistant Professor, Gerald Bronfman Department of Oncology, at the Centre for Innovative Medicine (CIM), as part of a global randomized clinical trial evaluating an individualized mRNA-based approach in combination with immunotherapy. The trial targets bladder cancer, the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer in Canadian men.
What makes this trial unique?
This trial represents a significant advancement in the application of mRNA technology beyond infectious disease prevention and into the realm of oncology. While mRNA-based vaccines—such as for COVID-19—deliver genetic instructions that prompt cells to produce a target protein and prompt an immune response, this therapy applies the same principle to cancer.
In this trial, the bladder cancer tumour is first surgically removed. Then, comprehensive molecular sequencing is conducted to identify mutations and tumour-specific neoantigens—proteins that are specific to the tumour and not found in the patient’s normal DNA. These findings are used to create a personalized mRNA therapy tailored to the patient’s tumour profile. Once administered, the treatment primes the immune system to recognize and attack any remaining cancer cells.
Leading in precision medicine
“For patients and families facing bladder cancer, access to cutting-edge treatment can make all the difference,” says Dr. Saleh, who is Medical Director for Oncology Clinical Trials at the CIM. “We’re proud that the first patient in Canada to receive this individualized mRNA therapy is being treated here. Every trial is a step forward — not just for science, but for the people we care for every day.”
This achievement supports The Institute’s 2030 Vision, which places precision medicine at the core of its mission. Through the CIM and its expanding leadership in mRNA research, immunotherapy, and next-generation treatments—including novel radiotherapeutics—The Institute is establishing itself as a centre of excellence for individualized, science-driven care in Quebec and across Canada.
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About the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre
The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (The Institute) is a world-renowned biomedical and healthcare research centre. Affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences of McGill University, The Institute is the research arm of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) – an academic health centre located in Montreal, Canada, that has a mandate to provide complex care to its community. The Institute supports over 700 researchers and close to 1,400 research trainees devoted to a broad spectrum of fundamental, clinical and health outcomes research at the Glen and the Montreal General Hospital sites of the MUHC. Its research facilities, including the Centre for Translational Biology, the Centre for Innovative Medicine and the Centre for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, offer a dynamic multidisciplinary environment that fosters collaboration and leverages discovery aimed at advancing precision health throughout the life course. The Institute is supported in part by the Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ). rimuhc.ca