Research into new cancer treatments could be sped up by a government deal with a leading pharmaceutical company, the Health Secretary has said. Steve Barclay is due to sign a memorandum of understanding with BioNTech on Friday, to “ensure the best possible treatments are available as soon as possible” for cancer.
The agreement means cancer patients in England will get early access to trials exploring personalised mRNA therapies, like cancer vaccines, possibly from as early as autumn this year. BioNTech worked with Pfizer to develop the widely-used mRNA vaccination against Covid, and its partnership with the UK Government could deliver 10,000 doses of personalised therapies to UK patients by 2030 through a new research and development hub.
Mr Barclay said: “Once cancer is detected, we need to ensure the best possible treatments are available as soon as possible, including for breast, lung and pancreatic cancer. BioNTech helped lead the world on a Covid-19 vaccine and they share our commitment to scientific advancement, innovation and cutting edge scientific technology, making them perfect partners for a deal to work together on cancer vaccines.”
