- The Government has signed a major agreement with biotechnology company BioNTech to bring ground-breaking cancer treatments a step closer.
- The new agreement is aimed at providing up to 10,000 patients with cancer vaccines by 2030.
Greg Hands has welcomed the announcement that the Government has signed a major agreement with biotechnology company BioNTech to bring ground-breaking cancer treatments a step closer.
The new agreement is aimed at providing up to 10,000 patients with cancer vaccines by 2030. Building on a memorandum of understanding signed in January, the partnership will provide cancer patients with improved access to the latest cancer trials and therapies currently being developed.
The partnership with BioNTech – which previously developed a world-leading cancer vaccine with Pfizer – includes UK-based clinical trials intended to help treat patients through the use of precision immunotherapies which work by stimulating the immune system to recognise and eliminate cancer cells.
BioNTech has already begun conducting clinical trials in the UK. Further trials will be launching although the majority of patients are expected to be enrolled from 2026 onwards.
To help deliver this research, BioNTech plans to set up new laboratories in Cambridge with an expected capacity of more than 70 highly skilled scientists, as well as a new UK office which will be situated in London.
A new Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad, led by NHS England in partnership with Genomics England, will help to rapidly identify cancer patients who could be eligible for potential trials.
It will work by creating a database of suitable NHS cancer patients who will be offered the choice to take part in personalised cancer vaccine trials.
The partnership will aim to help patients with early and late-stage cancers and, if successfully developed, cancer vaccines could become part of standard care.
Commenting, Greg Hands said:
“I have a strong personal interest in cancer treatment, as well as a constituency interest. My brother died in 2003, aged 35, from testicular cancer, despite having received excellent care at Charing Cross Hospital.
This new agreement represents a critical step towards pioneering personalised cancer treatments, with the potential to transform health outcomes for patients across the country suffering with cancer.
The partnership also underscores the attractiveness of the UK for investment in its leading life science sector – which will create more high-skilled jobs, boost innovation, and grow the economy”
Commenting, the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, said:
“This landmark new agreement takes us one step closer to delivering life-saving new cancer treatments for thousands of patients right across the country.
The UK is a global leader in life sciences – helping to create thousands of highly skilled jobs and pioneering research - and it is testament to this success that BioNTech have chosen to make this significant investment here today.
Personalised cancer vaccines have the potential to completely revolutionise the way we treat this cruel disease and it is hugely welcome that, thanks to today’s announcement, clinical trials will be rolled out widely”
Commenting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Steve Barclay said:
“This partnership is a huge step forward in the fight against cancer.
By working together with BioNTech on these innovative treatments we can make progress and save lives and I’m excited by the potential these trials have to both treat patients with cancer and those who have had it to stop it returning.
This further demonstrates that the UK is an attractive location for innovative companies to invest and pioneer cutting edge treatments for our patients and underlines this government’s commitment to research and development.”
Commenting, Amanda Pritchard, Chief Executive of the NHS, said:
“The NHS will not stop in its efforts to pioneer new treatments that could be life-changing for future generations. This is why we are developing our very first Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad, enabling us to identify thousands of NHS patients suitable for cancer vaccine trials – giving them the earliest possible access to cutting-edge technology that has the potential to change cancer care forever.
Thanks to advances in treatment and care alongside NHS awareness campaigns, cancer survival is at an all-time high, but the potential to stop cancer from returning is truly remarkable – and with the first patients set to take part in vaccine trials this autumn, we hope to find a way of vaccinating people against their own cancers and improve their chances of survival.”
Commenting, Professor Uğur Şahin, M.D., Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of BioNTech, said:
“We are truly honoured to be an integral part of this landmark partnership, alongside the UK government, NHS England, Genomics England, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research.
The United Kingdom's expertise in genomic analyses in cancer patients is a critical component of our shared endeavour to make mRNA-based and precision cancer immunotherapies widely accessible through clinical trials.
If successful, this collaboration has the potential to improve outcomes for patients with cancer not just in the UK, but also worldwide.”
ENDS
