A drug that triggers the self-destruction of cancer cells has been developed in Hong Kong.

BEIJING, June 20 Scientists at the Chinese University of Hong Kong have developed a drug for the treatment of nasopharyngeal cancer, which could potentially promote the self-destruction of cancer cells, the University's press service reported.
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is a type of cancer that is closely associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, the university explained.

“The Chinese University of Hong Kong Faculty of Medicine saw the potential of EBV as a therapeutic target and successfully developed an innovative mRNA drug for the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, targeting cancer cells harboring EBV,” the press release said.

It is clarified that University scientists, together with the Jackson Laboratory in the USA, have developed an mRNA drug that triggers a “suicide mechanism” to destroy cancer cells in the nasopharynx.
The university also said the drug was tested in mice and showed «promising results» and suggests the drug could be used to treat other types of EBV-associated cancers.