Henry Smith MP 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.
Henry said;
“It’s right that the NHS, with a new Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad, is at the forefront of this important work on cancer vaccines alongside Genomics England and BioNTech.
“It will create a database of suitable NHS cancer patients and they’ll be offered the chance to take part in personalised cancer vaccine trials.
“Such access to ground-breaking personalised cancer therapies has the potential to help save many lives in the years ahead.”
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.
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.”
The Secretary of State for Health & 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.”
The Chief Executive of NHS England, Amanda Pritchard, 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.”
Trials will focus on personalised cancer immunotherapies – a type of cancer treatment that activates the patient’s immune system and can either be designed to target shared abnormalities in a specific type of cancer or tailored to an individual's tumour.
Immunotherapies tailored to an individual are created by analysing a patient’s tumour to identify mutations that are specific to that individual’s cancer, then using that information to create an immunotherapy personal to that patient.
The partners involved will work to make processes as simple and effective as possible with BioNTech aiming to start further clinical trials and make potential new therapies available in the UK as soon as possible.
Patients will be asked by the NHS to consent to be put forward for clinical trials, and surplus tissue samples will be used to assess their eligibility.
The detail of any suitable clinical trials will be made available to the participant and their treating clinical team to see if they would like to take part in the relevant trial.
The Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of BioNTech, Professor Uğur Şahin, MD, 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.”
The Chief Business Officer & Chief Commercial Officer at BioNTech SE, Sean Marett, CMG, said;
“Through the development by the UK of a unified national contract approach for clinical trials that will let hospitals rapidly sign-up to clinical trials being undertaken in the UK by BioNTech, we are hoping to reach many UK cancer patients that wish to participate in clinical trials with new BioNTech investigational cancer treatments quickly and efficiently.”
The Secretary of State for Business & Trade, Kemi Badenoch, said;
“This Government is supporting our life sciences sector to be among the best in the world, with no better example than our global leadership in developing and rolling out the first Covid-19 vaccines.
“Investment in life sciences is key if we are to become a science superpower by 2030, helping to grow the economy and provide substantial health benefits for the British public and the world.”
The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation & Technology (maternity cover), Chloe Smith, said;
“I know from personal experience how it feels to face a cancer diagnosis. I was immensely fortunate to benefit from world-leading care from our wonderful NHS. There are brilliant scientists, researchers, and medics working on the kinds of life-saving cancer treatments and therapies that this deal will deliver.
“This partnership is the perfect example of how our £94 billion life sciences sector is improving lives across the country. This deal will anchor high-skilled jobs and investment in the UK. But most importantly, it will deliver better outcomes for patients with cancer in England, ensuring that more of them can go on to live long, happy, and healthy lives.”
The Chief Executive Officer of Genomics England, Chris Wigley, said;
“Since the times of Darwin, Franklin, and Sanger, the UK has been a true world leader in genomic science and healthcare. To sustain that leadership, we have to continue to deliver more world firsts, more innovations, and more benefits to patients, both nationally and internationally.
“We talk about the Cancer Vaccine “Launch Pad” – the rocket that is being launched is access to ground-breaking personalised cancer therapies that can transform lives and improve outcomes for those affected by this terrible disease. It’s almost hard to comprehend, but there are medicines made just for you, to attack your very own cancer tumour.
“We’re thrilled that this partnership will see genomics extend beyond diagnosis and take us towards a future of personalised cancer treatment.”
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