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Cancer Vaccine Approved by Russian FDA

blog.wired.com

A small biotech company received approval yesterday from the Russian Ministry of Public Health to market the cancer vaccine Oncophage for some types of kidney cancer.

The Scientist reports that the approval of the Antigenics cancer drug is the first for any cancer immunotherapy by any regulatory body in the world. It comes after the treatment didn't pass muster with the FDA, despite $425 million spent developing the treatment over 12 long years. Oncophage differs from preventative vaccines because it is supposed to treat an existing malignant condition, not prevent precursors to a cancer's development (By contrast, Gardasil helps prevent cervical cancer by providing protection from human papillomavirus, but it doesn't treat cervical cancer itself.)

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