Veronika Skvortsova, head of the Federal Medical‑Biological Agency (FMBA), said preclinical studies will begin in 2027. The prototype has already passed experimental tests confirming its efficacy and safety, she added. The vaccine is being developed by the FMBA’s State Research Centre Institute of Immunology.
“We hope to start preclinical research next year. If good results are confirmed, we will move to clinical trials,” Skvortsova was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti.
News that the FMBA was developing a dedicated vaccine against ragweed allergy first emerged in 2025. Ragweed allergy – a seasonal immune reaction to the plant’s pollen – causes severe runny nose, itching of the eyes and nose, sneezing, and can lead to bronchial asthma. It accounts for about 30% of all allergic diseases and is particularly common in Russia’s southern regions.
Russia’s market will also see the world’s first vaccine against birch pollen allergy – Allergarda. Registration is expected by the end of 2026, and the drug could enter civilian use in 2027.
Clinical trials have shown that in 25% of cases, allergy symptoms disappeared entirely, and the majority of patients tolerated the pollen season more easily. The treatment course lasts two seasons (compared with three years for conventional allergen‑specific immunotherapy) and requires no more than five injections.
