Cancer patients in the UK are set to receive personalized cancer vaccines in a new clinical trial. These vaccines, made by BioNTech SE, are designed to help the immune system identify and fight tumor cells, potentially reducing cancer recurrence.
The trial will take place at several National Health Service (NHS) sites across England and will initially focus on patients with colorectal, pancreatic, skin, lung, bladder, and kidney cancers.
Iain Foulkes from Cancer Research UK highlighted the significance of this trial, calling the vaccines a “game-changer” for preventing the return of bowel cancer. The vaccines use mRNA technology to train the immune system to detect and target cancer cells early.
The first patient to receive the trial vaccine is 55-year-old Elliot Pfebve, who previously underwent surgery and chemotherapy for colorectal cancer. He hopes that this trial will benefit many others in the future.
The trial will conclude in 2027, with preliminary data being presented on June 1 at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s annual conference in Chicago. Professor Francesco Crea from the UK’s Open University expressed optimism but noted that the effectiveness might vary across different types of cancer.
This new approach aims to complement traditional treatments like surgery and chemotherapy, potentially offering a more targeted and less harmful cancer therapy.