Health and social care secretary Steve Barclay is to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with BioNTech SE for vaccine research in England.

It is hoped the deal will accelerate trials into vaccines for cancer and wider diseases.

The deal means cancer patients in England will have access to trials into personalised mRNA therapies, including cancer vaccines. NHS England and Genomics England are developing the Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad, where access to the trials will be available. The launch pad will be used to identify those eligible for the trials. Trials could start in Autumn this year.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Steve 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.

"This partnership will mean that, from as early as September, our patients will be among the first to participate in trials and tests to provide targeted, personalised and precision treatments using transformative new therapies to both treat the existing cancer and help stop it returning.

"This agreement builds on this government’s promise to increase research and development spending to £20 billion per year and demonstrates the UK remains one of the most attractive places in the world for innovative companies to invest in research, trial new treatments and treat patients more effectively."

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