UK, BioNTech sign deal on new cancer vaccine trials

The UK has signed an agreement with German biotechnology company BioNTech for "ground-breaking new cancer treatments."

The government in a statement on Wednesday said building on a January MoU, "the partnership will provide cancer patients with improved access to the latest cancer trials and therapies currently being developed."

This 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."

The aim is to provide access to personalized treatments for up to 10,000 patients by 2030, the press release said.

BioNTech has already begun conducting clinical trials in the UK, and also plans to set up new laboratories in Cambridge.

"This landmark new agreement takes us one step closer to delivering life-saving new cancer treatments for thousands of patients right across the country," said Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

He added that personalized cancer vaccines have the potential to "completely revolutionize" the way of treating cancer.

Uğur Şahin, the company's CEO and co-founder, said: "If successful, this collaboration has the potential to improve outcomes for patients with cancer not just in the UK, but also worldwide."