RUSNANO and FMBA are preparing a revolution in medicine
The market of nanomedicine and medicinal nanopreparations is just emerging in Russia, but the agreement signed today between RUSNANO and the Federal Biomedical Agency (FMBA) will make it possible to make a breakthrough in innovative medicine. This was stated today at a briefing after the signing of the agreement with the FMBA by the CEO of the Russian Corporation of Nanotechnology Anatoly Chubais.
Recalling that the corporation is already implementing 8 medical projects using nanotechnology, he stressed: "These were the first steps, and now there will be a breakthrough offensive in innovative medicine." Noting that the annual growth of the global market of nanopreparations is about 10%, A. Chubais said: "We do not have such a market, but its volume is enormous, the potential is huge, and it is necessary to build both the demand side and the supply side." The introduction of nanotechnology in medicine will allow you to get rid of expensive and traumatic surgical methods of treatment for oncological diseases. Currently, the head of RUSNANO noted, a project is being implemented to combat oncological diseases not by surgery, but by introducing nanoparticles that destroy a cancerous tumor with the help of radiation. In Russia, most cancer patients are cured only by surgery, which often leads to severe complications, while in developed countries, for example, in prostate cancer, non-surgical treatment methods are used in about 90% of cases.
"We are able to achieve a large–scale, qualitative breakthrough in the results that can be achieved," A. Chubais said, noting that the FMBA has accumulated vast experience in the most risky areas of medicine – space, nuclear, and this experience should be used in innovative medicine, in those areas where there is the greatest threat to humans. First of all, he stressed, we are talking about nuclear medicine (radiation therapy) and regenerative medicine (the use of stem cells).
According to the head of RUSNANO, now "this technology will go from the stage of science to the stage of large-scale application." Cooperation between RUSNANO and FMBA will allow not only to implement new business projects in this area, but also to form a regulatory environment that ensures the safety of the use of nanotechnology and nanopreparations.
RUSNANO Managing Director Olga Shpichko clarified that RUSNANO is considering the possibility of implementing about 100 projects in the field of nanomedicine. In addition to 8 projects already being implemented (plasmapheresis, production of nanovaccine against influenza, manufacture of cardiac nanoclaps, and others), 5 more have passed scientific and technical expertise and are in the preclinical testing stage.
In turn, the head of the FMBA, Vladimir Uiba, expressed confidence that the introduction of nanotechnology in medicine, in particular, when creating nuclear medicine centers, will bring huge profits to the state. "We are currently preparing a government decree on the creation of nuclear medicine centers, the cost of such a center is about 14 billion rubles, while the estimated profit of the state will be about 250 billion rubles," he said. Although, according to V. Uib, it is impossible to calculate the real profit from saving human lives, since every life is priceless. Each nuclear medicine center is designed for 30 thousand people a year, he said.
V. Uiba noted that a new discipline is currently being formed – nanotoxicology, that is, methods for monitoring the safety of nanotechnologies and nanopreparations are being developed. "Nanoparticles have positive properties, but they can accumulate in the body, and this must be controlled," he said. – It is necessary that all products having a nanostructure are harmless. The FMBA has a priority task in the development of nanomedicine to conduct thorough studies of side effects, since nanoparticles accumulate in the body, they must be carefully dosed and studied experimentally, observing the main commandment of doctors – "do no harm". Before proceeding to the introduction of nanopreparations into practical medicine, all of them will be tested on biological models," V. Uiba stressed.
A. Chubais, in turn, believes that RUSNANO and the FMBA "need to develop their own methodological framework for safety assessment in nanomedicine."
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of PRIME-TASS15.02.2010