FMBA head says Russia's ragweed allergy vaccine is close to release
In short
The head of Russia's Federal Medical-Biological Agency (FMBA), Veronika Skvortsova, said a vaccine against ragweed allergy is “on the way”, speaking at the Bioprom forum in Gelendzhik. She said it could reach the market after Russia's first vaccine against birch pollen allergy, which was registered the previous week and is planned for up to 60,000 patients before the next pollen season. The documents give no date for the ragweed vaccine's registration or release.
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The head of Russia's Federal Medical-Biological Agency (FMBA), Veronika Skvortsova, said a vaccine against ragweed allergy is “on the way”, speaking at the Bioprom forum in Gelendzhik, according to TASS, RBC and Kommersant. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Kommersant reported that Skvortsova said the ragweed vaccine could be released to the market after the vaccine against birch allergy. The first Russian vaccine against birch pollen allergy was registered the previous week, the newspaper said, and up to 60,000 patients are planned to be vaccinated with it before the next pollen season. Kommersant reported that the FMBA, together with the Vienna Medical University, first announced that development in 2021. [ 3 ]
TASS reported that the first-in-the-world recombinant allergy vaccine, named “Allergarda”, had earlier received a temporary registration certificate. The documents do not state whether “Allergarda” and the registered birch pollen vaccine described by Kommersant are the same product. [ 1 , 3 ]
According to Kommersant, Skvortsova said Russia is also developing vaccines against meningococcal infection, dengue fever and personalised cancer vaccines. [ 3 ]
Kommersant reported that the already registered birch pollen vaccine uses a recombinant technique: instead of the natural allergen, the preparation contains hypoallergenic fragments of it. It is given under the skin five times at four-week intervals, and a dose of 80 micrograms has been found effective. In clinical trials that dose reduced allergy symptoms and the need for medication by 24% compared with placebo, the newspaper reported. [ 3 ]
Kommersant also noted that four stages of clinical trials must be completed before a new drug is released for civilian circulation, with the first stage, which tests the mechanism of action, taking from two months to a year. The documents do not give a date for the registration or release of the ragweed allergy vaccine. [ 3 ]
Why it matters
The FMBA is presenting a second allergy vaccine as close to market after registering its first, and Skvortsova also listed vaccines against meningococcal infection, dengue fever and personalised cancer vaccines as in development, which points to a broader pipeline at the agency. The documents give no launch date, trial status or registration schedule for the ragweed vaccine, so its practical effect on allergy treatment is not yet stated.
Key facts
- Veronika Skvortsova, head of the Federal Medical-Biological Agency (FMBA), said a vaccine against ragweed allergy is “on the way”, speaking at the Bioprom forum in Gelendzhik [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- RBC reported the ragweed vaccine is being developed by specialists of the FMBA [ 2 ]
- Skvortsova said the ragweed vaccine could be released to the market after the vaccine against birch allergy [ 3 ]
- The first Russian vaccine against birch pollen allergy was registered the previous week, and up to 60,000 patients are planned to be vaccinated with it before the next pollen season [ 3 ]
- According to Kommersant, Skvortsova said Russia is also developing vaccines against meningococcal infection, dengue fever and personalised cancer vaccines [ 3 ]
- For the registered birch pollen vaccine, a recombinant technique is used, with hypoallergenic fragments of the allergen instead of the natural allergen; it is given under the skin five times at four-week intervals, with 80 micrograms found to be an effective dose [ 3 ]
- In clinical trials that dose reduced allergy symptoms and the need for medication by 24% compared with placebo, Kommersant reported [ 3 ]
- Four stages of clinical trials are required before a new drug is released for civilian circulation, with the first stage taking from two months to a year, Kommersant reported [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Veronika Skvortsova, head of the Federal Medical-Biological Agency (FMBA), said a vaccine against ragweed allergy is “on the way” [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The state news agency TASS reported that the first-in-the-world recombinant allergy vaccine, “Allergarda”, had earlier received a temporary registration certificate [ 1 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the vaccine named “Allergarda” by TASS and the registered birch pollen allergy vaccine described by Kommersant are the same product TASS mentions a temporary registration certificate for a recombinant allergy vaccine named “Allergarda”, while Kommersant reports the registration of the first Russian birch pollen allergy vaccine without naming it; the documents do not link the two explicitly
- When the ragweed allergy vaccine will be registered or released, and what stage of testing it is at The documents describe it only as “on the way” and give no dates, trial stage or registration schedule for it
- What share of the announcement covered the ragweed vaccine specifically versus the agency's other vaccine projects The ragweed vaccine is mentioned only briefly in all three documents, with Kommersant giving most detail on the already registered birch pollen vaccine and other developments
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- TASS publishes its report that Skvortsova said the ragweed allergy vaccine is “on the way” [ 1 ]
- RBC publishes its report on Skvortsova's announcement of the new ragweed allergy vaccine [ 2 ]
- Kommersant publishes its report from the Bioprom forum in Gelendzhik, with Skvortsova's remarks and details of the registered birch pollen vaccine [ 3 ]