'Maybe God Heard Us': Lucknow Teen May Become India's First To Undergo Russian Cancer Vaccine Trial

Last Updated:November 12, 2025, 15:20 IST

The Russian government’s prompt response came barely days after CNN-News18 chronicled the journey of Manu Kumar Srivastava and his wife Kanchan Lata to save their 19-year-old son

Ansh Srivastava, once a bright student of Lucknow Public School and a first-year B.Tech student in Ghaziabad, has been under intensive treatment for nearly two years. (News18)

In a turn of events following CNN-News18’s report on Lucknow’s 19-year-old cancer patient, Ansh Srivastava, the Russian government has officially acknowledged the family’s appeal for help and forwarded their request to Russia’s ministry of health for consideration.

If all goes well, Srivastava could become India’s first patient to undergo clinical trials of the breakthrough Russian mRNA-based cancer vaccine ‘Enteromix’, which has shown 100 per cent efficacy in early-stage human trials targeting colorectal cancer.

Official Confirmation from Russia

In an official letter dated October 27, 2025, the Russian government confirmed that Srivastava’s case has been reviewed and escalated to the country’s health ministry.

The letter reads: “We inform you that your request has been reviewed by the Office of the Government of the Russian Federation and, in accordance with Article 59-FZ of the Federal Law of May 2, 2006, ‘On the Procedure for Considering Appeals from Citizens of the Russian Federation,’ has been sent to the Ministry of Health of Russia."

It is signed by the chief consultant of the Department for Handling Citizen Appeals—a formal acknowledgment that brings tangible hope to the family after months of despair.

A CNN-News18 Impact Story

The Russian government’s prompt response comes barely days after CNN-News18’s October 17 report titled “Please Save My Son: Lucknow Father’s Heartfelt Appeal to PM Modi and President Murmu for Access to Russian Cancer Vaccine" drew national and international attention.

The story chronicled the emotional journey of Manu Kumar Srivastava and his wife Kanchan Lata, whose 19-year-old son—once a bright engineering student—has been battling a rare and advanced form of intestinal cancer since 2023.

The report highlighted the father’s desperate appeals to the Indian and Russian governments to include his son in the Enteromix vaccine trial, developed by Russia’s National Medical Research Radiological Centre in collaboration with the Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology.

Overwhelmed by the development, Manu Srivastava expressed his gratitude to both the Russian government and CNN-News18 for amplifying their voice at a critical time.

“I am deeply thankful to the Russian government and to CNN-News18 for covering our story on priority and ensuring that it reaches the right authorities," Manu Srivastava said. “For the first time in months, I feel we are not alone. This is truly a ray of hope for us," he added.

A private employee with a real-estate firm in Lucknow, he had earlier written multiple letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Droupadi Murmu, and Russia, pleading that his son be included in the ongoing clinical trials of the vaccine, which has so far shown remarkable results in colorectal cancer cases.

Now, his appeal has been officially acknowledged by the Russian government—a development that may open the doors for international medical collaboration and compassionate inclusion of Indian patients in advanced foreign trials.

Mother’s Words: “Maybe God Heard Us"

For the teen’s mother, Kanchan Lata Srivastava, the news brought tears of relief after a long year of pain and uncertainty. “Maybe God finally heard us," she said, holding her son’s hand. She said, “Every day, I prayed for a miracle. When doctors told us there was nothing more they could do, this vaccine became our only hope. If he gets a chance to live, it will be because people listened and cared."

Ansh Srivastava, once a bright student of Lucknow Public School and a first-year B.Tech student in Ghaziabad, has been under intensive treatment for nearly two years. His condition worsened in late 2024, leading to severe breathlessness and weight loss. Doctors at Medanta Hospital, Lucknow, and Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, had advised the family to prepare for the worst.

But with the Russian letter now in hand, the Srivastavas believe they may finally be moving toward the breakthrough they had been praying for.

The Enteromix vaccine, developed in Russia, uses mRNA technology—the same platform used in Covid-19 vaccines—to train the immune system to identify and destroy cancer cells based on a patient’s specific tumour genetics.

In initial clinical trials conducted on 48 colorectal cancer patients, Enteromix demonstrated a 100 per cent tumour response rate with no serious side effects. The results were first announced during the 2025 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, where Russian researchers hailed it as a potential game-changer in oncology.

Medical experts say that if approved for broader use, Enteromix could pave the way for personalised, side-effect-free cancer treatment, particularly in countries like India, where colorectal cancer cases are rising sharply.

Awaiting Ministry’s Decision

The Russian Ministry of Health will now evaluate Srivastava’s case and determine if compassionate inclusion in the vaccine’s next trial phase is possible. While such approvals are rare and involve complex international protocols, experts believe that the official acknowledgment itself is a remarkable step forward.

“We Just Want Him to Live"

As the family waits anxiously for the ministry’s response, they say they are grateful for every person who helped their story reach across borders. “I don’t know what the future holds," said Manu Srivastava, “but today, we have hope—and that means everything."

His wife said, “We just want him to live. That’s all a mother can ask."

If approval is granted, Ansh Srivastava could become the first Indian to undergo the experimental Enteromix cancer vaccine trial—a milestone that began with a father’s desperate plea.

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