Russian scientists are approaching the development of cancer vaccines, potentially bringing hope to patients, according to President Vladimir Putin’s announcement on Wednesday.
Putin mentioned in a televised address that the country is on the brink of creating what are commonly known as cancer vaccines and cutting-edge immunomodulatory drugs.
Speaking at a Moscow forum on future technologies, he expressed his optimism that these methods would soon become viable options for personalized therapy. However, Putin refrained from providing specifics regarding the targeted types of cancer or the mechanisms of action for the proposed vaccines.
“I hope that soon they will be effectively used as methods of individual therapy,” he added, speaking at a Moscow forum on future technologies.
Treatment vaccines, also known as therapeutic vaccines, are a category of vaccines developed to address existing cancer. Falling under the umbrella of immunotherapy, these vaccines operate by enhancing the body’s immune system to combat cancer.
Cancer vaccines are a form of immunotherapy that can help educate the immune system about what cancer cells “look like” so that it can recognize and eliminate them.
Unlike traditional vaccines, physicians administer treatment vaccines to individuals already diagnosed with cancer, aiming to stimulate the body’s defenses against the disease.
However, there is also a category of preventive cancer vaccines that is administered to a healthy person to prevent the disease. These are called preventive cancer vaccines.
Preventive Cancer Vaccines
Various cancers stem from viral infections, underscoring the significance of preventive vaccines in mitigating risks. Human papillomavirus (HPV) can lead to cervical cancer and head and neck cancer, while hepatitis B virus (HBV) can contribute to liver cancer.
Multiple vaccines have been created to thwart HBV and HPV infections, consequently shielding individuals against HBV- and HPV-associated cancers.
Across the globe, various countries and corporations are actively involved in cancer vaccine research. In the previous year, the UK government collaborated with Germany-based BioNTech to commence clinical trials for personalized cancer treatments, aiming to serve 10,000 patients by 2030.
Meanwhile, pharmaceutical giants Moderna and Merck & Co are advancing in the development of an experimental cancer vaccine. Encouraging mid-stage study results indicate a fifty percent reduction in the likelihood of recurrence or mortality from melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, after three years of treatment.
According to a Reuters report, the World Health Organization states that there are currently six licensed vaccines targeting human papillomaviruses (HPV), which are associated with various cancers like cervical cancer. Additionally, vaccines against hepatitis B (HBV), a virus linked to liver cancer, are already available.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia introduced its own vaccine, Sputnik V, which was exported to several countries. However, within Russia, there was notable public hesitancy towards vaccination. To bolster confidence in the vaccine’s efficacy and safety, Putin publicly disclosed that he had received the Sputnik V vaccine.