Amazon launches cancer vaccine clinical trial in partnership with Fred Hutchinson

Andy Jassy, chief executive officer of Amazon.Com Inc., during the GeekWire Summit in Seattle, Washington, U.S., on Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021.

The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center is working with Amazon to develop a vaccine for cancer.

According to a filing on clinicaltrials.gov, Amazon and Fred Hutchinson are looking to recruit 20 people over the age of 18 for a phase 1 trial. According to the filing, the goal is to develop a vaccine that can treat breast cancer and melanoma.

According to the filing, Fred Hutchinson is a sponsor of the study. Business Insider reported the news of the partnership. The study began in June. The project is expected to be finished by Nov. 1 of the following year.

Representatives from Amazon didn't respond to a request for comment.

In the last few years, Amazon has increased its presence in health care. The company launched an online pharmacy in 2020 and has sought to develop at- home medical diagnostic services.

Business Insider reported that the cancer vaccine effort was overseen by a secretive research and development group inside Amazon. The cancer research team is reporting to the vice president of devices at Amazon.

Andy Jassy wants to chart a next generation path for growth.