Cancer vaccine will use same mRNA technology as Covid vaccine in UK trial

A pioneering new cancer treatment using the same biotechnology as the Covid-19 Pfizer vaccine is set to be tested in the UK.

vaccine using mRNA technology (Messenger Ribonucleic Acid Technology) is designed for each patient’s immune system, presenting the immune system with the genetic code from the cancer so that it only attacks the tumor itself and not other cells.

Health Secretary Steve Berkley plans to sign a memorandum of understanding with German pharmaceutical company BioNTech on Friday to “make the best possible treatments available as soon as possible” for cancer.

Patients in England will have access to personalized treatment as early as September 2023.

BioNTech collaborated with Pfizer to develop a widely used mRNA vaccine against Covid. A partnership with the UK government will allow UK patients to get her 10,000 doses of personalized treatments by 2030 through a new R&D hub.

“BioNTech shares our commitment to scientific advancement”

“Once cancer is discovered, whether it’s breast, lung or pancreatic cancer, we need to make sure the best possible treatment is available as soon as possible,” Barclay said.

“Biontech” Helped lead the world in Covid-19 vaccines We also share our commitment to scientific progress, innovation and cutting-edge science and technology, making us the perfect partner to collaborate on cancer vaccines. “

He added: “Starting as early as September, this partnership will use innovative new therapies to treat existing cancers and help stop them from progressing. It means our patients are the first to participate in trials and tests to provide targeted, personalized precision care.

“This agreement builds on the government’s commitment to increase R&D spending to £20 billion annually, allowing innovative companies to invest in research, test new treatments and treat patients more effectively. shows that the UK remains one of the most attractive places in the world.”

“If we work together, we can accelerate drug development.”

BioNTech CEO and co-founder Professor Ugur Sahin said:

“This agreement is the result of lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic. Drug development can be accelerated without cutting corners. When everyone works together seamlessly toward the same goal. Today’s agreement shows that we are committed to doing the same for cancer patients. “

Professor Shahin added: “Our goal is to accelerate the development of immunotherapies and vaccines using technologies we have been researching for over 20 years. It covers different types of cancer and infectious diseases.

“If successful, this partnership has the potential to improve patient outcomes and provide early access to a range of cancer immunotherapies and innovative vaccines against infectious diseases in the UK and around the world.”

“Pay attention to early detection”

Katalin Calico, a former BioNTech executive and University of Pennsylvania researcher, warned that the technology may not be powerful enough to destroy an entire tumor.

“Immune cells can’t beat huge tumors,” Calico said in an interview at Budapest’s Semmelweis University. early detection,” like that Development of a blood test that allows identification of tumors Long before patients are usually diagnosed, she said.

Results from a recent trial combining Moderna’s personalized vaccine with the cancer drug Keytruda, she said, showed the potential of the technology, but the trial was already available in patients whose tumors had been surgically removed. She added that it was conducted in

“Some cells survive, and vaccines can fight them,” she said.

Some of the patients in the trial have already been treated for cancer, and the hope is that the vaccine will prevent the cancer from coming back. patients, a vaccine could help shrink and control.