Russian Drug R&D Potential Viewed

A board made up of the Moscow government, the Russian state committeefor research and new technologies and the Ministry of Health has reviewed reports from the heads of R&D centers working on a state program for cancer control and one for promotion of domestic drugs for import substitution.

Developments relating to the photodynamic management of tumors and a new system for the catalytic generation of reactive oxygen species in tumor cells are reported, plus the synthesis of a number of organocobalt compounds at the Nesmeyanov Institute in Moscow which show promise in trials on animals with induced tumors. These agents generated cytotoxic radicals under reduced pH of a cancer cell. A gene with the capacity to inhibit neoplastic development is reported from the Moscow Herzen Oncological Studies Institute, and a number of immunomodulators have been created and submitted for approval as diet supplements for cancer patients.

Scientists are also trying to develop drug import substitution. A 300-million-tablet-a-year manufacturing line has gone into operation at NIOPIK, where pilot production of a range of drugs is currently underway. Elsewhere, a range of raw drugs is being produced at a state research center; it is not clear on what scale this output is being organized. The Moscow board has voted to continue support for these import substitution efforts.