Russia has developed a personalized cancer vaccine called Enteromix, which has demonstrated high effectiveness and safety in preclinical studies and Phase I human trials.
Enteromix is being developed by the National Medical Research Radiological Centre (NMRRC) in collaboration with the Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology under the Russian Academy of Sciences. The vaccine completed several years of regulated preclinical testing during which it reduced tumor growth and, in some cases, completely destroyed tumors in animal models. It also showed survival benefits and maintained safety profiles in repeated dosing studies.
Enteromix is not an mRNA vaccine, as some media reports had incorrectly claimed. It operates as an oncolytic vaccine, using a combination of four engineered non-pathogenic viruses. These viruses both directly kill malignant cells and stimulate the patient’s anti-tumor immune response. This dual mechanism engages innate immunity via viral oncolysis while activating adaptive immune responses, creating a comprehensive defense against cancer.
Russia is also developing a separate mRNA-based cancer vaccine, but this is a different program and should not be confused with Enteromix.
Phase I clinical trials began in mid-2025, enrolling 48 volunteers in an open-label, single-center study at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. Interim reports note low toxicity and good tolerability among participants.
Reports of “100% success” are misleading. Officials announced that all patients mounted some immune response, which was incorrectly translated in media coverage as “100% efficacy.” In reality, tumor shrinkage was observed in around 60–80% of patients in early findings. Phase I trials are designed primarily to test safety, not to measure effectiveness.
On July 24, 2026, Russia's National Medical Research Radiological Centre warned about fraudulent Telegram channels and online communities offering the Enteromix cancer vaccine for purchase or promising paid access to treatment programmes and clinical trials.
The centre reiterated that Enteromix remained in Phase I clinical trials and was not available for purchase. Patients should avoid paying intermediaries who claim to provide access to the vaccine or arrange clinical trial participation.
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study as active but not recruiting, with estimated primary completion in December 2026. This is a projected date, not confirmation that the trial has been completed or that its results are positive.
Veronika Skvortsova, head of Russia’s Federal Medical and Biological Agency, stated that clinical documentation has been submitted to the Ministry of Health, and the vaccine is “ready for use,” pending regulatory approval. Enteromix will initially be applied to colorectal cancer, with development efforts also underway for glioblastoma and melanoma, including ocular melanoma. However, the latest official information reviewed does not establish that Enteromix has received regulatory approval for routine clinical use or that it is commercially available.
No peer-reviewed clinical trial results establishing Enteromix's effectiveness in humans had been identified in the sources reviewed. Larger clinical studies will be needed to determine its safety and efficacy.
The absence of posted clinical results means that claims about tumour response, survival benefits or the proportion of patients who may benefit remain unverified. Further clinical research and published evidence are needed to establish Enteromix's safety and effectiveness in humans.
What it does: Enteromix combines four safe viruses to kill cancer cells and boost the body’s immune response against tumors.
Current stage: It has shown encouraging results in animal studies and an early human trial, with no serious side effects reported.
Next steps: Russian regulators are reviewing it, and further clinical trials are needed to establish its effectiveness across larger and more diverse populations.
1. National Medical Research Radiological Centre of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. “National Medical Research Radiological Centre Warns about Fraudsters Offering the Enteromix Vaccine.” July 24, 2026. https://new.nmicr.ru/en/news/national-medical-research-radiological-centre-warns-about-fraudsters-offering-the-enteromix-vaccine/
2. National Library of Medicine. “Safety, Tolerability and Pharmacokinetics of EM-I-2024.” ClinicalTrials.gov. Last updated May 13, 2026. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07584668.
3. GRLSBASE. “EM-I-2024: Phase I Study of the Safety, Tolerability and Pharmacokinetics of Enteromix.” Russian clinical trial registry record, registration no. 521, November 1, 2024. https://grlsbase.ru/clinicaltrails/clintrail/14138.
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