President Vladimir Putin announced on Wednesday that Russian scientists are nearing the development of cancer vaccines and new-generation immunomodulatory drugs, which could soon be available for patient use.
In his televised remarks at a forum in Moscow focused on future technologies, Putin expressed optimism about the impending use of these treatments for individual therapy. However, he did not elaborate on the specific types of cancer these vaccines would target or their method of application.
Globally, efforts to create cancer vaccines are underway, with significant progress being made in various countries and by multiple companies. For example, the UK government recently entered into an agreement with BioNTech, a Germany-based company, to initiate clinical trials for personalized cancer treatments, aiming to involve 10,000 patients by 2030.
Moreover, pharmaceutical giants Moderna and Merck & Co are collaborating on an experimental cancer vaccine, which, according to a mid-stage study, has been shown to reduce the risk of recurrence or death from melanoma – the deadliest form of skin cancer – by 50% after three years of treatment.
The World Health Organization acknowledges the existence of six licensed vaccines against human papillomaviruses (HPV), responsible for numerous cancers including cervical cancer, as well as vaccines against hepatitis B (HBV), which can lead to liver cancer.
Russia, during the coronavirus pandemic, developed its own COVID-19 vaccine, Sputnik V, and distributed it to various countries. Despite this, the vaccine faced significant public skepticism domestically. Putin revealed that he had received the Sputnik vaccine, endorsing its effectiveness and safety to encourage vaccination among the public.
