Chethana Janith, Jadetimes Staff
C. Janith is a Jadetimes news reporter and sub-editor covering science and geopolitics.
Russia’s cancer vaccine will be customized for each patient diagnosed with colorectal cancer, tailored to their individual RNA.
In a breakthrough, Russia’s cancer vaccine, Enteromix, has proved effective against colon cancer, which is life-threatening and is diagnosed even in young people. According to the Russian news agency, Tass, Veronica Skvortsova, head of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency (FMBA), recently announced at the 10th Eastern Economic Forum held in Vladivostok that the vaccine has shown 100 percent efficacy and safety in its preclinical trials.
“The research spanned several years, with the last three dedicated to mandatory clinical studies,” Skvortsova stated, as quoted by Tass.
How does this mRNA-based vaccine help?
This has been made using the mRNA technology that was also used in making the COVID-19 vaccines. The mRNA vaccine generally uses a copy of a molecule called mRNA that corresponds to a viral protein, thereby helping the body fight against infectious diseases.
Skvortsova also stated that the mRNA-based vaccine showed significant results, where the researchers found that there was a reduction in the tumour size and the progression of the disease was also slower, ranging from 60 percent to 80 percent depending on the characteristics of the disease. There was also an increase in survival rates.
Rolling out Russia’s cancer vaccine
The vaccine will initially be rolled out for colorectal cancer. The vaccine will be customized for each patient, tailored to their individual RNA, Skvortsova said in her statement. She also revealed that advanced trials are also underway for vaccines against glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain tumor and also certain other melanomas like skin cancer.
Unlike in cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation, the vaccine showed no side effects in the patients who were part of the trial.
Phase 1 clinical trial of Enteromix
The phase 1 clinical trial of Enteroix, the novel cancer vaccine, was developed earlier by Russia’s National Medical Research Radiology Centre in collaboration with the Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology (EIMB) of the Russian Academy of Science (RAS).
According to reports, Russia’s cancer vaccine, Enteromix, utilizes four harmless viruses to target and destroy cancerous tumors, while also boosting the body’s immune system to combat the disease. After years of trials, the vaccine has not only proven effective in slowing down cancer growth but also in destroying the cancer.
“The vaccine is now ready for use; we are awaiting official approval,” stated Skvortsova on Tass. As per the American Cancer Society, cancer vaccines are currently available for prostate and bladder cancers. If Russia’s cancer vaccine is approved, it will be the first ever personalised vaccine available for use by the public.
More research is needed, say experts
Commenting on the new cancer vaccine, experts say, “This vaccine has brought about a new hope in cancer treatment and shown promising results in the phase 1 trials. However, we should not jump to conclusions in terms of efficacy.”
Experts explain, “Any drug that enters clinical practice must undergo four broader trials. One is the preclinical trial, where the drug is tested on animal models to find its safety. After passing this, it enters phase 1 clinical trials, where it is tested on a smaller group of population. So once it passes the phase 1 trial regarding safety, it enters phase 2 or 3 trials wherein larger control groups are required to demonstrate whether it can be used for larger public use or not.”
They add, “This vaccine has, of course, been shown to destroy some malignant cells and has also proved to be safe in the Phase 1 trials. However, as seen in the past, though many vaccines have passed phase 1 and phase 2 trials, it has failed to show efficacy in phase 3 trials. So, we need to wait for the efficacy of the vaccine before concluding anything.”
Takeaway
Russia has come up with a cancer vaccine, Enteromix, that has shown 100 percent effectiveness in colorectal cancer treatment. The vaccine also does not have side effects.
The mRNA-based vaccine showed significant results, where there was a reduction in the tumour size and a slower disease progression. The survival rates were also higher.
The vaccine is now ready for use by the public and is currently awaiting official approval before going live.
