While the outlook for vaccines in the US looks bleak under the current administration, the UK Government is pressing ahead with securing its vaccine future.
The UK’s Vaccine Innovation Pathway, the country’s first clinical trial accelerator, aims to expedite the research and development of vaccines. The scheme, which has its origins in the Covid-19 pandemic, is now being used to advance vaccine candidates for a range of infectious diseases.
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The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), which runs the framework, is even targeting cancer indications.
Speaking at the London Biotechnology Show, being held from 18 to 19 June, Joanna Calvert, senior programme manager at the Vaccine Innovation Pathway, said: “We’ve been able to set up a plan for cancer, which I mentioned being the next frontier for us. And the objective is set up within 90 days.”
Vaccines are becoming a promising avenue to aid cancer treatment. Traditionally used to protect against illnesses caused by infectious diseases, advancements have meant biotechs are now developing jabs that help the immune system recognise and fight cancer cells. Whilst only being used in clinical trials, certain candidates, such as mRNA-based candidates, have already demonstrated positive data.
In the US, health secretary Robert F Kennedy (RFK) Jr is stalling vaccine recommendations, with mRNA vaccines a particular modality targeted by the current administration.
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By GlobalDataThe UK also runs the Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad (CVLP), a framework launched in May 2024 on the NHS to help fast-track eligible patients into studies at nearby hospitals evaluating vaccines against cancers. UK-based biotech Scancell recently partnered with the scheme to accelerate trials with its off-the-shelf DNA vaccine to protect against skin melanoma.
Meanwhile, RFK Jr has introduced major changes at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that financial experts say will likely result in a decline of the vaccine sector. The most significant step taken by RFK Jr was to replace the entirety of the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) with vaccine sceptics and experts lacking public health experience. Former members of the committee have warned that the US immunisation programme has been “critically weakened”.
Combined with the Vaccine Innovation Pathway, the priority placed by the UK government on vaccine development distinctly contrasts with its US counterpart. Indeed, the UK is also the largest government donor to the international vaccine organisation Gavi, paying £1.65bn since 2021.
At the London Biotechnology Show, Calvert commented on the success of the pathway seen already in two seasonal flu and norovirus vaccine trials sponsored by Moderna.
“For both studies, we managed to smash through these [recruitment window] targets,” Calvert said.
“Our impact to date means that we’ve been able to accelerate clinical trial setup in record timelines. We’ve been able to employ innovative recruitment models to expand beyond the hospital clinic setting and improve geographic reach.”
