Russia’s Ministry of Health has officially approved two new anticancer drugs developed using personalized technologies.
The first is the mRNA vaccine NeoOnkovac, intended for patients with melanoma. It is created individually for each patient based on the genetic information of their tumor. The vaccine is designed for adults with melanoma whose disease has progressed too far for surgery.
The second is the peptide vaccine Onkopept, used for metastatic colorectal cancer. It uses short protein fragments, or peptides, to activate the immune system and direct it against the patient’s specific cancer cells.
Both drugs have been approved for clinical use, and their wider deployment will be possible after further studies. They have thus joined the list of already registered vaccines, such as Onkofag for treating renal cell carcinoma, and Imuron-Vac and Uro-BCG Medac for bladder cancer.
