"The Russian cancer vaccine is ready for use"

The Russian cancer vaccine is ready for use — its preclinical studies have proven safe and highly effective, Veronika Skvortsova, head of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency and former Minister of Health, told Izvestia. According to her, at the end of the summer of 2025, the FMBA sent documents to the Ministry of Health to obtain permission for the clinical use of the new drug. About this, as well as about how neuroprosthetics is developing in Russia and when new prosthetic rehabilitation centers will open, in an interview with Veronika Skvortsova to Izvestia within the framework of the WEF-2025.

"Neuroprosthetics is becoming a reality"

— The topic of creating bionic prostheses was actively discussed at the Eastern Economic Forum. When do you think neuroprosthetics can become widespread in Russia? Do we have such technical capabilities?

— Today we have reached the stage when neuroprosthetics ceases to be science fiction and becomes reality. We are in the stage of active development, we have passed the first stages. An important step was the creation of biocompatible microelectrodes, which were able to be implanted at the ends of peripheral nerve fibers — sensory and motor. And thanks to this, it became possible to use the neuromodulation method — the selection of specific modes of stimulation of peripheral nerve fibers. This is necessary in order to eliminate phantom pains and normalize the level of nerve impulse conduction.

The second technology, using a virtual and augmented environment, allows you to actually "train" and use the stump to properly strain different muscle groups. In other words, a person in virtual reality sees their preserved limbs and learns to use them, for example, to clap or reproduce some other movements. After that, when the patient puts on a prosthesis, it is easier for him to use this prosthesis.

Now comes a very important stage when a prosthetic limb is put on the implanted electrodes, and due to this, the prosthesis becomes more sensitive. That is, with the help of a prosthesis, a person without visual control begins to distinguish objects by touch. For example, he can sense whether it is a soft object or a hard one, heavy or light.

— What will be the next stages of work?

— The next stages are related to the development of microprocessor-based neuroelectronic interfaces. Accordingly, microprocessor chips are created that do not oxidize in human body environments, but persist and do not fail for a long time. They are highly sensitive and transmit an impulse from human neural cells to corresponding electronic computer devices.

In 2025, a world-class scientific center was established on the basis of the FMBA Center for Brain and Neurotechnology. And the Center for Cybernetic Medicine and Neuroprosthetics was opened in its structure. Today (within the framework of the WEF. — Ed.) we were just listening to the speech of the specialists of this center. We wish him success.

"We plan to build 10 rehabilitation centers in two years"

— It was reported that at least ten prosthetic rehabilitation centers will be opened by 2027.

— We have now agreed with the Ministry of Defense on the locations of these centers. It is very important that they are created where it is convenient from the point of view of step-by-step medical care. As a result, ten regions were selected. One of them is Primorsky Krai, where we are currently located.

— When will the first such institutions start opening?

— Initially, it was planned to build prosthetic rehabilitation centers in two years - 2026 and 2027. Such experience has already been accumulated. For example, we have a reference center in the village of Goluboe near Moscow. This is the first joint prosthetic rehabilitation center. Therefore, we know how to do this, how to train personnel at the same time, and how to structure such centers. We hope that all this will be done.

— The latest cancer vaccine testing has been completed in Russia. Its launch was planned for 2025. Are there any early results yet?

— At the end of the summer of 2025, we submitted documents to the Ministry of Health in order to obtain permission for the clinical use of this vaccine. The research lasted several years. For the last three years, these have been regulated preclinical studies.

They have proven the safety of the vaccine, including with repeated repeated use, and its high effectiveness in reducing the size and slowing the growth of the tumor. And significantly, depending on the features — by 60-80%. In addition, studies have shown an increase in survival, which is also very important. The vaccine is ready for use, we are waiting for permission.

— And for what types of cancer will this vaccine be used?

— It is planned to start using it with colorectal cancer. In parallel, we have an advanced vaccine for two more locations. This is glioblastoma, one of the most malignant tumors, the barrier tumors of which are located behind the blood-brain barrier in the structure of the brain, as well as special types of melanoma. Not only as skin cancer, but also as melanoma of the membranes of the eye. It's a very scary, rapidly progressing disease. Therefore, these locations will be as follows.