NEW PollenVax ALLERGY VACCINE — A PRACTICAL SCIENCE INITIATIVE UNDER THE NEW POLICY OF KAZAKHSTAN’S MINISTRY OF HEALTH
On February 11, 2026, a meeting of the Scientific and Technical Council of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan marked a clear shift in the approach to evaluating scientific research. From now on, public funding priorities are focused not on reports and publications alone, but on the real implementation of research outcomes into clinical practice.
Minister of Health Akmaral Alnazarova highlighted a systemic gap between scientific results and the practical needs of the healthcare system. According to the Minister, if a development does not reach the patient, the scientific system is failing to fulfill its core mission.
Against this background, special attention at the Council meeting was given to developments that have reached the clinical research stage. Among them is a new recombinant vaccine for allergen-specific immunotherapy of allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma caused by mugwort pollen — PollenVax.
The PollenVax product successfully completed a Phase I clinical trial, during which it demonstrated:
• good tolerability;
• a favorable safety profile;
• the absence of serious adverse events;
• high immunogenicity.
• good tolerability;
• a favorable safety profile;
• the absence of serious adverse events;
• high immunogenicity.
This is not a “paper-based” experiment or an abstract publication-driven project. It is the world’s first recombinant allergy vaccine against mugwort pollen to reach the stage of clinical trials, aimed at addressing one of the most pressing medical and social challenges in the country. Mugwort pollen is the leading allergen for the population of Kazakhstan, and the development of effective immunotherapy has direct practical significance for the national healthcare system.
For KazNARU, participation in the development and clinical advancement of the allergy vaccine is an indicator of the university’s transformation into a platform for applied science, focused on a tangible end result — the introduction of technologies into the real sector of healthcare.
KazNARU demonstrates a modern research model in which scientific innovation moves beyond laboratory results and publications to deliver real medical solutions.
The next stage of the project involves scaling up the research, progressing to Phase II and III clinical trials, and integrating the development into the national healthcare system of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
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