Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Wednesday that Russian scientists are on the brink of developing vaccines for cancer, a breakthrough that could soon offer hope to patients battling the disease.
Speaking at a Moscow forum on future technologies, Putin revealed that significant progress has been made in the development of “cancer vaccines and immunomodulatory drugs of a new generation.”
“We have come very close to the creation of so-called cancer vaccines and immunomodulatory drugs of a new generation,” Putin stated, expressing optimism about their potential effectiveness in individual therapy.
While Putin did not provide specific details regarding the types of cancer targeted by these proposed vaccines or their mechanisms of action, he highlighted the promising advancements made by Russian scientists in this field.
Several countries and pharmaceutical companies worldwide are actively researching cancer vaccines. Last year, the UK government partnered with Germany-based BioNTech to initiate clinical trials for personalized cancer treatments, aiming to benefit 10,000 patients by 2030.
Additionally, pharmaceutical giants Moderna and Merck & Co are collaborating on an experimental cancer vaccine, which showed promising results in mid-stage studies by halving the risk of recurrence or death from melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, after three years of treatment.
The World Health Organization reports the existence of six licensed vaccines targeting human papillomaviruses (HPV), which are responsible for various cancers including cervical cancer. Vaccines against hepatitis B (HBV), a precursor to liver cancer, are also available.
Amid the global COVID-19 pandemic, Russia developed the Sputnik V vaccine against the virus and distributed it to numerous countries. However, it faced resistance within Russia due to public skepticism about its safety and efficacy.
In an effort to boost confidence in the vaccine, Putin himself publicly announced receiving the Sputnik V vaccine, underscoring the importance of vaccination in combating the pandemic.
