Iran to roll out anti-cancer vaccine in summer of 2025

Iran is set to roll out its anti-cancer vaccine in the summer of 2025 to cater to the health of its citizens.

According to a local news source on 4 February, the vaccine is being developed by companies at the National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology.

Head of the institute Javad Mohammadi stated that this vaccine will cover all types of cancers prevalent in the country.

Cutting dependence on foreign countries

Cancer is one of the deadliest diseases globally, but the second largest group of chronic non-communicable diseases and the third most common cause of death in Iran according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Up to this point, the country has been dependent on imports for its drugs and vaccines. With the vaccine launch, that is about to change as Mohammadi said the companies are expected to provide 100% of the country’s needs.

Initially, they will roll out two products, which should cater for 70% of the country’s needs, but eventually eliminate dependence on exports completely.

With an effective vaccine, the number of cases and death rate should drastically reduce, especially since the vaccine is for all kinds of cancer.

It is however not clear if the vaccine will be free and accessible to all Iranians as a strategy to quickly curb the disease.

Following in Russia’s footsteps

Several countries are starting to take responsibility for their populations suffering from cancer, one of which is Russia and Iran is the latest to do same.

The country released a cancer vaccine for its citizens late last year and promised to make it widely available for free. The vaccine is also said to be therapeutic and not just preventive.

Likewise, GSK has partnered with the University of Oxford on cancer vaccine research, making the UK one of the countries leading in the cancer vaccine race.