News: The Russian Federal Medical and Biological Agency (FMBA) announced that the EnteroMix cancer vaccine is now ready for clinical use.
About EnteroMix Cancer Vaccine
- The EnteroMix cancer vaccine was developed by the National Medical Research Radiology Centre (NMRRC), which operates under the Ministry of Health of Russia.
- EnteroMix cancer vaccine is built on mRNA technology. Unlike traditional vaccines that use weakened or inactivated viruses, mRNA vaccines deliver a set of genetic instructions that teach the body’s cells to produce a specific antigen.
- In the context of cancer treatment, these antigens appear on the surface of tumor cells. Once the immune system is trained to recognize these tumor-specific antigens, it can produce antibodies and immune cells that target and destroy cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue.
- Mechanism of action: EnteroMix operates by using a combination of four harmless viruses.
- These viruses are designed to target and destroy cancer cells while simultaneously activating the body’s immune defenses.
- This dual approach helps slow tumor progression and, in some cases, completely eliminate tumors.
- One of the unique advantages of the EnteroMix vaccine is its personalization.
- Each patient’s vaccine is customized based on the specific antigens present in their tumor cells.
- This allows the immune system to be trained to recognize multiple tumor antigens simultaneously.
- Unlike traditional preventive vaccines given to healthy individuals, mRNA cancer vaccines are designed for patients already living with cancer, aiming to treat existing tumors rather than prevent disease.
Global Context of Cancer Vaccine Development
- The UK’s National Health Service (NHS), in partnership with BioNTech, launched the Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad in 2023, aiming to accelerate personalized mRNA cancer vaccine clinical trials.
- In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved only one cancer vaccine to date—Sipuleucel-T for prostate cancer in 2010—which extended survival by around four months.
- Currently, more than 120 cancer vaccine clinical trials are underway globally, focusing on lung, breast, prostate, melanoma, pancreatic, and brain cancers.
