President Vladimir Putin announced on Wednesday that Russian scientists were nearing the development of vaccines for cancer, potentially offering hope for patients in the near future.
During televised remarks, Putin stated, “We have made significant progress in the development of cancer vaccines and next-generation immunomodulatory drugs.”
Speaking at a Moscow forum on future technologies, he expressed optimism, saying, “I anticipate their prompt and effective implementation as personalized therapy methods.”
Putin did not provide details regarding the specific types of cancer the potential vaccines would address or the methods involved in their development.
Various countries and companies are actively engaged in the pursuit of cancer vaccines. In the UK, for instance, the government collaborated with Germany-based BioNTech last year to initiate clinical trials for “personalized cancer treatments,” with the ambitious goal of reaching 10,000 patients by 2030.
Additionally, pharmaceutical giants Moderna and Merck & Co are in the process of developing an experimental cancer vaccine. A mid-stage study demonstrated that this vaccine reduced the risk of recurrence or mortality from melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, by 50% after three years of treatment.
The World Health Organization states that there are currently six licensed vaccines targeting human papillomaviruses (HPV), known to cause several cancers, including cervical cancer. Additionally, vaccines against hepatitis B (HBV), which poses a risk for liver cancer, are also available.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia developed its own vaccine, Sputnik V, against the virus and exported it to numerous countries. However, within Russia, there has been considerable public reluctance to receive the vaccine.
