Russia on brink of developing cancer vaccines

MOSCOW: Russian scientists were on the brink of developing vaccines for cancer, which could soon be accessible to patients.

This was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin during a televised forum on future technologies in Moscow.

Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed optimism, stating that they were nearing the creation of "cancer vaccines and immunomodulatory drugs of a new generation."

He expressed hope for their imminent utilization as effective methods of individual therapy.

Putin did not specify the specific types of cancer the potential vaccines would address or their method of action.

Various countries and companies are actively engaged in developing cancer vaccines.

For instance, the UK government partnered with Germany-based BioNTech to initiate clinical trials for "personalized cancer treatments," with the goal of reaching 10,000 patients by 2030.

Additionally, pharmaceutical giants like Moderna and Merck & Co are working on an experimental cancer vaccine.

A mid-stage study indicated that this vaccine reduced the likelihood of recurrence or death from melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, by half after three years of treatment.

The World Health Organization reports the existence of six licensed vaccines targeting human papillomaviruses (HPV), known to cause several cancers such as cervical cancer.

Additionally, vaccines against hepatitis B (HBV), which can result in liver cancer, are available.

During COVID-19 pandemic, Russia introduced its Sputnik V vaccine against the virus and distributed it to numerous countries.

However, domestically, it faced significant resistance from the public towards vaccination.