Moscow: In a significant breakthrough, the Russian Health Ministry announced that it has developed a cancer vaccine, which is set to be launched in early 2025 and will be rolled out to patients “for free,” news agency TASS reported.
“Russia has developed its own mRNA vaccine against cancer, it will be distributed to patients free of charge, General Director of the Radiology Medical Research Center of the Russian Ministry of Health Andrey Kaprin has told Radio Rossiya,” it said.
Director of the Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology Alexander Gintsburg told TASS, “The vaccine’s pre-clinical trials had shown that it suppresses tumor development and potential metastases.”
As of now, the name of the vaccine has not been revealed.
This development comes as earlier this year, President Vladimir Putin in a televised address mentioned that “we have come very close to the creation of so-called cancer vaccines and immunomodulatory drugs of a new generation”.
According to the Daily Mail UK, cancer rates are increasing in Russia, with over 635,000 cases recorded in 2022. It further stated that colon, breast and lung cancers are believed to be the most common in the country.
Role of Vaccines in Cancer Treatment
Vaccines play a crucial role in cancer management by boosting the immune system’s ability to identify and attack cancer cells.
Therapeutic cancer vaccines are designed to target specific proteins or antigens found on tumour cells, training the immune system to recognize and destroy them. Some vaccines use weakened or modified viruses to deliver these antigens, triggering a robust immune response. Preventive vaccines, like the HPV vaccine, protect against viruses associated with cancer, lowering the risk of certain cancers, such as cervical cancer. By strengthening the body’s natural defences, vaccines can help slow tumour growth, prevent a recurrence, or even eliminate early-stage cancers, making them a promising tool in oncology.
Countries Work to Develop Their Own Cancer Vaccines
Other countries have also been working to develop their own personalized cancer vaccines.
In May, researchers at the University of Florida tested an individualized vaccine in four patients with glioblastoma, the aggressive brain cancer that claimed the lives of two, Senator John McCain and Beau Biden.
The team found that the shot triggers a strong immune response just two days after injection.
Meanwhile, in the UK, scientists are testing a personalised vaccine for melanoma. Results have shown that it can drastically improve survival chances of the disease, which is the deadliest form of skin cancer.
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