Russia Develops New Cancer Vaccine
Russia has announced that it has developed a cancer vaccine that will be distributed to patients free of charge in early 2025.
The Russian Health Ministry who announced this, said the vaccine will reportedly be used to treat cancer patients rather than given to the public to prevent cancer.
Andrey Kaprin, the General Director of the Radiology Medical Research Centre of the Russian Ministry of Health, announced that the country has developed its own mRNA vaccine against cancer and it would be distributed to people free of charge, reported Russia’s TASS news agency.
The vaccine is expected to be launched in general circulation in early 2025.
The 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 tumour development and potential metastases.
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, the Ministry said.
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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.”
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.
Olamilekan Adigun is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience in journalism embedded in uncovering human interest stories. He also prioritises accuracy and factual reportage of issues.
