Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Russian scientists are on the brink of creating vaccines for cancer, which could soon be accessible to patients.
During a Moscow forum on future technologies, Putin expressed optimism about the progress, stating that they are “very close” to developing “cancer vaccines and immunomodulatory drugs of a new generation” that could be used effectively as individual therapy.
While Putin didn’t specify the targeted types of cancer or the mechanism of the proposed vaccines, several countries and companies globally are engaged in similar research. Notably, the UK government has partnered with BioNTech to conduct clinical trials for personalized cancer treatments, aiming to reach 10,000 patients by 2030.
Pharmaceutical giants Moderna and Merck & Co are also in the process of developing an experimental cancer vaccine, showing promising results in mid-stage studies for melanoma.
Additionally, existing vaccines against human papillomaviruses (HPV) and hepatitis B (HBV) play a crucial role in preventing cancers associated with these viruses, according to the World Health Organization.
Despite Russia’s successful development of the Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19, domestic vaccination efforts faced significant public skepticism. To address this, Putin publicly declared his own vaccination with Sputnik V, aiming to bolster confidence in its efficacy and safety.