Russia says it is inching closer to a major medical breakthrough. President Vladimir Putin says the country is close to developing cancer vaccines.
"We are very close to the creation of so-called cancer vaccines and immunomodulatory drugs of a new generation," Putin said at a forum in Moscow.
Such vaccines are usually used for preventive purposes and are not considered to be a cure. Immunomodulators may protect against cancer cells.
“I hope that soon they will be effectively used as methods of individual therapy,” he said but did not specify which type of cancer would be targeted.
The UK government and BioNTech are working to provide “personalized cancer treatments” to at least 10,000 patients by 2030.
Moderna- Merck & Co are creating a vaccine that targets skin cancer. It reportedly cut the chance of recurrence or death from melanoma.
Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide and is caused by the abnormal growth of cells in the body, which spread to other parts.