The Russian Health Ministry has announced a significant medical breakthrough: the development of a cancer vaccine, which will be provided to patients free of charge starting in early 2025. Unlike traditional vaccines that prevent diseases, this mRNA-based vaccine is designed to treat existing cancer patients. The announcement has been met with a mix of optimism and anticipation as it marks a notable advancement in cancer treatment.
Andrey Kaprin, General Director of the Radiology Medical Research Centre under the Russian Ministry of Health, disclosed the news through Russia’s TASS news agency. The vaccine, which utilizes mRNA technology, has shown promising results in pre-clinical trials. Alexander Gintsburg, Director of the Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology, explained that the vaccine effectively suppresses tumor growth and limits the potential for metastases, offering new hope for cancer patients.
According to Gintsburg, pre-clinical trials demonstrated the vaccine’s ability to inhibit tumor development. “The vaccine’s pre-clinical trials showed that it suppresses tumor growth and the spread of cancer,” he stated. This mRNA vaccine works by delivering genetic instructions to the body’s cells, enabling them to produce specific proteins found on cancer cells. The immune system then recognizes and attacks these proteins, targeting the cancer.
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According to Reuters, Russian President Vladimir Putin hinted at the progress in developing cancer vaccines. “We have come very close to creating cancer vaccines and immunomodulatory drugs of a new generation,” he mentioned in televised remarks in February. The vaccine, expected to be widely available in early 2025, represents a significant step forward in cancer treatment and aligns with global efforts to combat the disease.
One of the innovative aspects of this vaccine is the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate the development of personalized cancer treatments. Gintsburg highlighted that AI could drastically reduce the time required to design these vaccines. “Now it takes quite a long to build [personalized vaccines] because computing of how a vaccine, or customized mRNA, should look like uses matrix methods, in mathematical terms. We have involved the Ivannikov Institute, which will rely on AI in doing this math, namely neural network computing, where these procedures should take about half an hour to an hour,” he explained.
Russia is not alone in the quest for personalized cancer vaccines. In the UK, scientists are testing a personalized vaccine for melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. Early results have shown significant improvements in survival chances. Similarly, pharmaceutical giants like Moderna and Merck & Co. are working on experimental cancer vaccines. A mid-stage clinical trial indicated that their vaccine could reduce the risk of melanoma recurrence or death by 50% over three years of treatment.
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The development of this vaccine comes at a crucial time, as cancer rates in Russia are on the rise. In 2022, over 635,000 cases were recorded, with colon, breast, and lung cancers being the most prevalent. This new vaccine offers a beacon of hope for many patients facing these challenges.
Traditional vaccines introduce weakened or inactivated viruses to trigger an immune response. In contrast, mRNA vaccines deliver genetic instructions that enable cells to produce specific cancer proteins, known as antigens. These antigens stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies that can attack and destroy cancer cells. Unlike COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, which target a single antigen, cancer mRNA vaccines focus on multiple antigens found on tumor cells, making them highly personalized and effective.
