Researchers have discovered a type of immune cell in the human body known to be important for allergy and other immune responses that can also attack and eliminate cancer and fight viruses like SARS-Cov-2, that causes Covid-19 infection.

These cells, called human type-2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s), can be expanded outside of the body and applied in larger numbers to overpower a tumour's defences and eliminate malignant cells in mouse models with cancer, according to the preclinical research published in the journal Cell.