Azernews.Az

Russian scientists have developed a new cancer vaccine that is now ready for clinical use, according to the Federal Medical and Biological Agency (FMBA). The announcement was made by FMBA head Veronika Skvortsova at the Eastern Economic Forum, as per a report by Russian news agency TASS, Azernews reports.

The vaccine, called Enteromix, is based on mRNA technology — the same approach used in some Covid-19 vaccines. Instead of using a weakened virus, mRNA vaccines teach the body’s cells to produce proteins that trigger an immune response against cancer cells.

Skvortsova said the vaccine has completed years of research, including three years of required preclinical trials. The trials showed that the vaccine was safe even with repeated doses and was highly effective. In some cases, tumors shrank or grew more slowly by 60% to 80%, depending on the type of cancer.

Researchers also noted improved survival rates among test subjects.

The first focus for this vaccine will be colorectal cancer, which refers to the cancer of the large intestine. Work is also advancing on vaccines for glioblastoma, a fast-growing brain cancer, and certain types of melanoma (a serious skin cancer), including ocular melanoma, which affects the eye.

The announcement came during the 10th Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, which drew more than 8,400 participants from over 75 countries.