Russia’s cancer patients could receive a newly developed vaccine within the next few months, according to Alexander Gintsburg, director of the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology. The newly developed drug is a personalised, AI-assisted, mRNA-based vaccine precisely designed to target malignant tumours using the patient's genetic profile.
Gintsburg confirmed that the experimental phase of administration of the vaccine will begin in the coming months, with assistance from the two leading oncology institutions. The Hertsen Research Institute and the Blokhin Cancer Centre in Moscow are involved, while the vaccine was developed by the Gamaleya Centre.
He said, after receiving positive signals from the Ministry of Health, we are now preparing to start the experimental treatment using a cancer vaccine based on neo-antigens in a group of melanoma patients,” Gintsburg said.
What makes this drug so unique is that it is “created specifically for each patient based on the requirements, which cannot be replicated in any other patient other than in the host.”
Considered a breakthrough in cancer treatment, which is psychologically stressful and very expensive to manage. The Russian vaccine has given a slight hope to patients facing the dreadful disease. Due to its specific nature, “This is a fundamentally different process from the registration of standard drugs,” Gintsburg explained, noting that the team is working closely with health authorities to move forward under the new guidelines.
The vaccine, initially designed for melanoma patients, has already shown promising results in animal trials and limited tests on human patients. Gintsburg said that the entire process of vaccine-making can be completed within one week with the assistance of artificial intelligence.
The Gamaleya Centre, which created the world’s first registered Covid-19 vaccine, Sputnik V, is also currently developing models for treating other oncological diseases, including pancreatic, kidney, and non-small-cell lung cancer. Meanwhile, Russia’s Health Ministry estimates there are around 4 million cancer patients in the country, with roughly 625,000 new cases diagnosed annually.
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