A virus that infects the humble black-eyed pea plant is showing great promise as a low-cost, potent cancer immunotherapy—thanks to researchers at the University of California San Diego.

The team led by chemical and nano engineers just published their study in Cell Biomaterials, showing how the cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV), unlike other plant viruses, is uniquely effective at activating the body’s immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells.

In preclinical studies, CPMV has demonstrated potent anti-tumor effects in multiple mouse models, as well as in canine cancer patients. When injected directly into tumors, CPMV therapy recruits innate immune cells—such as neutrophils, macrophages and natural killer cells—into the tumor microenvironment to destroy cancer cells.

Meanwhile, it ac

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