The investigational cancer vaccine uses mRNA technology to help the immune system recognise and kill cancer cells containing human papillomavirus proteins.

Minister for health, Karin Smyth, said: ‘These cancer vaccines could be game-changing for patients facing some of the most challenging diagnoses. By getting these trials running in our NHS, we're putting ourselves at the forefront of medical innovation, improving outcomes for people living with cancer.'

The first head and neck cancer patients in England have received the investigational mRNA cancer vaccine in the clinical trial, known as AHEAD-MERIT (BNT113-01), with more patients to soon be enrolled at their nearest NHS hospital. 

Over 11,000 new head and neck cancer cases are diagnosed in England every year, with cancers typically developing in the mouth, throat or voice box.

Despite advances in care for patients with head and neck cancer, the advanced form of the disease is difficult to treat and has high rates of recurrence, with two-year survival rates at under 50%.

NHS England is partnering with life sciences company BioNTech to help identify potentially eligible patients to refer to NHS hospitals running the clinical trial.

This is the third cancer vaccine trial to be run through the CVLP, co-ordinated by the Southampton Clinical Trials Unit, which has already helped refer around 550 patients to trials of vaccines for bowel and skin cancers.