Biotechnology firm Antigenics Inc. said Tuesday its treatment for kidney cancer received regulatory approval in Russia, the first in any country for the cancer vaccine.

Shares rose to $3.55 during premarket trading from Monday's close of $2.47.

Oncophage represents a non-invasive procedure to help stem the growth of cancer cells in healthy kidneys. The current standard of care for patients with nonmetastatic renal cell carcinoma consists of surgical removal of the kidney followed by observation.

Chairman and Chief Executive Garo H. Armen said starting sales represents "an important treatment advancement for patients with intermediate-risk kidney cancer." Antigenics expects to launch Oncophage in Russia in the second half of the year. Mr. Armen said the company hopes to file for conditional approval of Oncophage in Europe this year.

After more than 20 years of setbacks, research in therapeutic cancer vaccines is starting to show promising results and attract the investments of large pharmaceutical firms, but the field remains risky and so far no drugs have been approved for use in the U.S. The Food and Drug Administration has come under criticism for its pace in approving all types of cancer treatments, in part because of the large trial sizes the agency typically mandates.

Therapeutic vaccines stimulate the body's immune system to attack cancerous cells and leave healthy cells alive, while more traditional cancer treatments kill both cancerous and normal cells. Although the vaccines won't prevent cancer all together, they are expected to be used in addition to radiotherapy, chemotherapy and hormone therapy to prevent relapses in patients who have already had cancer.