UK launches groundbreaking cancer vaccine trial

The UK has introduced the potentially transformative cancer vaccine trial phase in patients suffering from head and neck cancer under an initiative announced by the National Health Service (NHS).

The trial will cover more than 100 patients with mouth, throat, and other head-related cancers at 15 hospitals over the next year,

The first patients have received the vaccine jab which uses mRNA technology to strengthen the immune system.

The revolutionary vaccine used in the ongoing trial is known as AHEAD-MERIT (BNT113-01) which will eradicate the cancerous cells containing human papillomavirus proteins.

According to University of Sheffield study findings, in Britain around 11,000 new cases come up to the surface every year with the rate having spiked by 47 percent between 2013 and 2020.

The cancers in head and throat are associated with distinct proteins called human papillomavirus (HPV). In highly advanced and aggressive forms, these types of cancer are hard to treat with high recurrence and two-year survival rates under 50 percent.

Health minister Karin Smyth has dubbed the initiative a “massive win for cancer patients.”

“The cancer vaccines could be game-changing for patients facing some of the most challenging diagnoses. By getting these trials running in our NHS, we are putting ourselves at the forefront of innovation, improving outcomes for people living with cancer,” Smyth said in a statement.

The ongoing trial is the third to be conducted through the NHS Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad which is supported by the Cancer Research UK.