Russian cancer vaccine ready to launch next year, set to be provided free of charge

TASS
Sun, 15 Dec 2024 09:43 UTC

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.

The vaccine was developed in collaboration with several research centers. It is planned to launch it in general circulation in early 2025.

Earlier, Director of the Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology Alexander Gintsburg told TASS that the vaccine's pre-clinical trials had shown that it suppresses tumor development and potential metastases.

Comment: This development has received little media attention in the West, naturally, because it happened in Russia, so we looked into the basis of the claim.

The Russian developers are turning cancerous mutations into antigens so that the immune system can attack them better. This technique has apparently worked in animal studies. They're starting trials on humans with super-aggressive melanomas and small cell lung cancer, where the prognosis is already very bad. Each vaccine is individualized to the patient. They do use mRNA technology, but this might prove to be the best use for such. In the animal studies, the vaccine regressed or cured animals from metastasis and terminal cancer.

So the principle behind it is to reinforce the immune system by 'teaching' it to attack the cancer rather than 'feed' it or accept it as 'normal'.

More in this India Times report about how AI-based 'neural network computing' will be used to 'create a personalized cancer vaccine in 30 minutes'. See also the press release.