Al-Ola A Abdallah: What is the Deal of mRNA Vaccine Against Cancer from Russia?

Al-Ola A Abdallah, Director of Plasma Cell Disorder Program at the University of Kansas Medical Center, shared a post on X:

“What is the deal of mRNA vaccine against cancer from Russia:

‎An mRNA vaccine against cancer is entering human trials in late 2025. It’s personalized, AI-driven, and 100% free for Russian citizens. Here’s what you need to know.

What is it?

‎A custom-built mRNA cancer vaccine – designed individually for each patient. It uses tumor-specific neoantigens to train the immune system to attack cancer cells.

‎How it works:
‎
– AI analyzes a patient’s tumor
‎- A unique mRNA vaccine is created
‎- Manufacturing takes ~1 week
‎- Injected to trigger an immune response against the tumor

First target: Melanoma

‎The vaccine will first be tested on melanoma patients, with plans to expand to:

‎• Pancreatic cancer
‎• Kidney cancer
‎• Lung cancer

‎Cost?

‎Each dose: ~₽300,000 (≈$2,870 USD)
‎But Russian citizens will get it free under public healthcare!

What do we know so far?

Animal studies show reduced tumor growth and metastasis.
‎First human trials begin Sept-Oct 2025 at major cancer centers in Moscow.

‎Regulation

‎Russia has created a special approval path for personalized mRNA therapies—separate from traditional drug approvals. A bold regulatory move.

The Catch?

‎As exciting as it sounds, we still need to see peer-reviewed human trial results. Until then, optimism must be balanced with scientific rigor

‎Why it matters

‎This puts Russia in the global race for personalized cancer immunotherapy, alongside efforts from BioNTech, Moderna, and others.”