A New York-based biotech company announced today (April 8) that it has received approval for the first linkurl:therapeutic cancer vaccine;http://www.the-scientist.com/article/display/18859/ -- in Russia. It is the first approval by a regulatory body of a cancer immunotherapy. The therapy's approval in Russia won't in itself boost its chances for approval in the US or the EU, or improve the prospects of other cancer vaccines that are in the biotech pipeline, Ren Benjamin, senior biotech analyst at the New York investment firm Rodman and Renshaw told The Scientist. But Russia is "novel ground" for small biotech, he said: Seeking first approval in a country outside of the US and EU is a bold move, and both biotech companies and investors will be closely watching to see how lucrative a market Russia turns out to be. The antibody-based therapy, Oncophage, received a registration certificate from the Russian Ministry of Public Health to...
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