Russia has reported an unprecedented advancement in cancer treatment with the creation of an mRNA-based vaccination to treat cancer patients. According to state media reports, this progressive antibody, scheduled to be launched in early 2025, will be distributed to Russian citizens without any harm.
The customized vaccination, which uses genetic material extracted from a patient’s tumor, will cost the state around 300,000 rubles (USD 2,869) per dose. This was announced by Andrey Kaprin, head of the Health Service’s Radiology Therapeutic Investigation Center. “This vaccination offers the potential to cure cancer patients or prevent tumor formation,” Kaprin expressed. Alexander Gintsburg, executive of the Gamaleya National Investigation Center for the Study of Disease Transmission and Microbiology, highlighted the modern preparations involved in creating the vaccine. “It takes a very long time to create [customized vaccinations] now because the calculations using the vaccination, or modified mRNA, must numerically look like using lattice strategies. We have included Ivannikov Organized, which will rely on AI to do this math, specifically neural organ computing, where these methods should take about half an hour to an hour,” Gintsburg clarified in a meeting with TASS.
Vaccinations use components of the patient’s tumor to prepare immune frameworks to recognize and attack cancer cells. This helps the body recognize interesting proteins called antigens found on the surface of cancer cells. Once introduced, these antigens strengthen the immune system to create antibodies, enabling it to successfully target and destroy cancer cells.
Cancer rates in Russia are constantly rising, with more than 635,000 modern cases recorded in 2022. The most common types of cancers tested in the country include colon, breast and lung cancers.
The modern vaccination mirrors similar efforts underway in Western countries to create customised cancer drugs. In the United States, researchers at the University of Florida recently tested a personalised antibody on patients with glioblastoma, a potent form of cancer known as brain cancer. It showed promising results as it activated a strong immune response within two days of vaccination.
