Yuri Zubov, head of the Federal Intellectual Property Agency 'Rospatent,' has announced the development of a groundbreaking drug for liver cancer by scientists from the Medical Research Center for Radiology under the Russian Ministry of Health. This announcement marks a significant advancement in cancer treatment.
Zubov explained that this new drug could also be applied in the treatment of cancer metastases, expanding its potential impact on patient care.
During a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Zubov highlighted that innovations in medicine and pharmacy are leading the submissions to Rospatent for registration and certification.
"I'd like to mention just a few of these innovations," Zubov stated. "Foremost is the development of a radiopharmaceutical by our scientists for liver cancer treatment."
Currently, radiopharmaceuticals for liver cancer treatment exist on the global pharmaceutical market, but their use in Russia is limited due to high costs and short shelf lives, with Yttrium-90's half-life being approximately 64.1 hours.
This prompted Russian scientists to develop their own 'nuclear drug.' The medication consists of tiny protein albumin microspheres linked with Yttrium-90, which are trapped inside the tumor's blood vessels where they irradiate and destroy cancerous cells.