Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed on Wednesday that Russian scientists are on the verge of creating vaccines for cancer, which could soon become available to patients. In televised comments during a Moscow forum on future technologies, Putin stated, “We have come very close to the creation of so-called cancer vaccines and immunomodulatory drugs of a new generation.” He expressed hope that these advancements would be effectively used as methods of individual therapy.
Although Putin did not specify the types of cancer the proposed vaccines would target or elaborate on the approach, the announcement aligns with ongoing global efforts in the field. Last year, the UK government collaborated with Germany-based BioNTech to launch clinical trials for “personalized cancer treatments,” with a goal of reaching 10,000 patients by 2030. Additionally, pharmaceutical companies Moderna and Merck & Co are developing an experimental cancer vaccine that demonstrated promising results in cutting the chance of recurrence or death from melanoma.
While there are currently six licensed vaccines against human papillomaviruses (HPV) and vaccines against hepatitis B (HBV), which can lead to liver cancer, Putin’s announcement marks a significant step in the pursuit of cancer-specific vaccines.
During the coronavirus pandemic, Russia developed the Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19, selling it to various countries. However, it faced domestic challenges with public reluctance to get vaccinated. Putin emphasized his confidence in the vaccine’s efficacy and safety by publicly announcing that he had taken the Sputnik V vaccine himself. Source: Reuters
