Russia is close to creating cancer vaccines, says Putin

President Vladimir Putin announced that Russian scientists are on the verge of developing vaccines for cancer, anticipating their imminent availability for patients.

During a televised address, Putin expressed that they are nearing the creation of what he referred to as "cancer vaccines and immunomodulatory drugs of a new generation."

Speaking at a Moscow forum on future technologies, he expressed optimism about the effective utilization of these advancements in individual therapy in the near future. However, Putin did not provide specifics regarding the types of cancer these potential vaccines would target or the methodologies involved.

Numerous countries and companies globally are actively engaged in cancer vaccine research. Last year, the UK government partnered with Germany-based BioNTech to initiate clinical trials for "personalized cancer treatments," with the ambitious goal of benefiting 10,000 patients by 2030.

Pharmaceutical giants Moderna and Merck & Co are also in the process of developing an experimental cancer vaccine, demonstrating promising results in a mid-stage study that indicated a 50% reduction in the risk 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), responsible for various cancers, including cervical cancer. Additionally, vaccines targeting hepatitis B (HBV), a precursor to liver cancer, are available.

Amidst the ongoing global pandemic, Russia successfully developed and distributed its Sputnik V vaccine for COVID-19, although facing public hesitancy domestically. Putin himself publicly endorsed the vaccine by stating that he had received the Sputnik V shot to reassure the public of its efficacy and safety.