Moscow: Russia’s President Vladimir Putin revealed on Wednesday (local time) that Russian scientists are on the verge of creating vaccines for cancer, potentially offering hope to patients in the near future.
In televised remarks, Putin expressed, “We have come very close to the creation of so-called cancer vaccines and immunomodulatory drugs for a new generation.” He further stated, “I hope that soon they will be effectively used as methods of individual therapy,” while addressing a Moscow forum focused on future technologies.
Although Putin didn’t specify the types of cancer the proposed vaccines would target or their mechanisms, the announcement signals a significant stride in medical research.
Various countries and companies are actively pursuing cancer vaccines. Last year, the UK government partnered with Germany-based BioNTech to initiate clinical trials for “personalized cancer treatments”, with a goal to reach 10,000 patients by 2030. Additionally, pharmaceutical giants Moderna and Merck & Co are developing an experimental cancer vaccine that, in a mid-stage study, demonstrated a 50% reduction in the chance of recurrence or death from melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, after three years of treatment.
The World Health Organization reports six licensed vaccines against human papillomaviruses (HPV), which are linked to numerous cancers including cervical cancer. Moreover, vaccines against Hepatitis B (HBV), a precursor to liver cancer, are also available.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia developed its own Sputnik V vaccine against the virus and distributed it to many nations. However, domestically, it faced hesitancy from the public regarding vaccination. In a bid to instill confidence, Putin publicly announced that he had received the Sputnik V vaccine himself, emphasizing its efficacy and safety.
