Russia produces first test batches of anti-cancer vaccine

MOSCOW (MNTV) — Russia has successfully produced the first three test batches of its mRNA-based anti-cancer vaccine, according to the Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology, marking a major milestone in the country’s oncology research efforts.

Alexander Gintsburg, director of the Gamaleya Center, said a new, fully equipped production facility has been completed and has already manufactured three so-called validation series of the experimental vaccine.

“Moreover, it has already manufactured three validation series. And what is most important, our leading oncology center, the Hertsen Oncology Research Institute led by Academician Andrey Kaprin, has received the complete set of authorization documents to use this technology — from diagnostics to mRNA production and application in humans,” Gintsburg said during a scientific conference at the Ivannikov Institute for System Programming of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

According to earlier official reports, Russia’s Health Ministry has approved two experimental anti-cancer vaccine platforms: an mRNA-based vaccine and a peptide-based vaccine. One of the projects, known as Neooncovac, was developed jointly by the Gamaleya Center and the Blokhin Russian Cancer Research Center.

The Neooncovac vaccine was manufactured at the National Medical Research Radiological Centre (NMRRC) and is designed for adult patients suffering from inoperable or metastatic melanoma, one of the most aggressive forms of skin cancer.

Russian oncology institutes are now preparing to begin early-stage clinical use of the new mRNA-based vaccine technology, a step Russian scientists describe as critical in advancing personalized cancer immunotherapy.

The announcement comes as global research institutions race to develop next-generation cancer vaccines using mRNA platforms, similar to those used in COVID-19 vaccines.