Russia to test anti-cancer vaccine on melanoma patients

An innovative anti-cancer vaccine developed in Russia is set to undergo testing on patients with melanoma, a form of skin cancer, Azernews reports citing the TASS agency.

Alexander Ginzburg, the director of the Russian National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology, announced that the research procedure for this vaccine will differ from traditional trial phases, which typically involve three stages. Instead, the approach will be streamlined.

"We're working on melanoma right now because it's technically easier," Ginzburg explained, noting that skin cancer is often visible and straightforward to study. He added that further research will also target other cancer models, such as small cell lung cancer, which is responsible for approximately 1.2 to 1.3 million deaths worldwide and is among the most prevalent malignant cancers.

The vaccine will be administered on an individual basis, tailored to the patients' specific conditions. Ginzburg highlighted that the development involved collaboration among several scientific groups, including the Russian Epidemiology and Microbiology Scientific Research Center, the Moscow Scientific Research Oncology Institute, and the National Medical Research Oncology Center. Andrey Kaprin, the chief oncologist of the Ministry of Health of Russia and general director of the National Medical Research Radiology Center, confirmed that clinical trials for the vaccine have already been completed