The Russian Health Ministry has announced that it has developed a cancer vaccine that will be distributed to patients free of charge in early 2025.
The vaccine is said to not only slow tumor progression but also reduce tumor size by 75-80%.
Andrey Kaprin, head of the Radiology Medical Research Center under Russia’s Ministry of Health, confirmed that the cancer vaccine will be launched in early 2025.
Unlike preventive vaccines, which aim to stop tumors from developing in healthy individuals, this vaccine is intended to treat existing cancer cases.
Russian government scientists have suggested that similar to cancer treatments being developed in Western countries, the vaccine may be personalized for each patient. This personalized approach aims to tailor the vaccine to the specific cancer type and individual characteristics of each patient.
Details of the vaccine still unclear
While the announcement has generated excitement, many details remain unclear.
It is not yet known which cancers the vaccine is designed to treat, how effective it will be, or how the Russian government plans to roll it out. The name of the vaccine has also not been disclosed.
Alexander Gintsburg’s Insight on the Vaccine
Alexander Gintsburg, Director of the Gamaleya Research Centre in Russia, emphasized, “This is not a universal vaccine. It is a personalized vaccine, not only for each type of cancer but also for each respective kind of cancer patient. It’s a therapeutic vaccine and does not protect against infectious diseases. It treats individuals who suffer from oncological diseases.”
How the Vaccine Works
Gintsburg further explained that this drug or vaccine is a little “vulgar, ” figuratively speaking. It directs the patient’s immune system against malignant cells because this vaccine carries in its composition those changes that are characteristic at the genetic level of tumors.
“As a result, the patient’s immune system recognizes these cells, which carry cancerous markers, and begins to destroy them with the help of cytotoxic lymphocytes—special immune cells that essentially devour the cells with tumour markers. This is accordingly the meaning of this vaccine,” he explained.
Collaboration with leading cancer centers
At the Gamaleya Institute, Gintsburg and his team are collaborating with colleagues from two leading cancer centers: the Herzen Center, led by Professor Caprin, and the Blokken Center, headed by Academician Stilidi. They are also working with young colleagues from the Serious Center.
“A system has been created that allows us to genetically deliver the necessary genetic sequences to our eukaryotic cells,” Gintsburg explained. These methods and technologies are completely covered by domestic patents, which enables us to use them widely and openly to create medicines.”
Focus on melanoma vaccine prototypes.
The first focus is on prototypes of vaccine drugs created against melanoma, the most malignant and severe oncological disease.
Gintsburg shared that the mouse melanoma model shows that three vaccine variants created using these technologies protect these animals from death immediately.
Global efforts in personalized cancer vaccines
Meanwhile, other countries are also working on their own personalized cancer vaccines, highlighting a growing global interest in this promising area of cancer treatment.