CVLP: The NHS Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad

Lay Description

The NHS Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad (CVLP) is designed to fast-track the development of cancer vaccines and other novel immunotherapies, improving patient access to clinical trials of these potentially life-saving treatments. Thousands of patients across England, including those at University Hospital Southampton, are expected to join the trials.

This collaboration, which began with biotechnology company BioNTech and has since gone on to partner with other commercial organisations.

Public Benefit Statement

Through the CVLP, people with cancer who are receiving treatment in the NHS, including patients at University Hospital Southampton, consent to be part of the CVLP to see if they might be eligible to join a cancer vaccine clinical trial.

Benefits for patients consenting to join the CVLP include:

• Participants may be able to take part in a research trial evaluating novel cancer immunotherapies.
• Participants will be helping medical researchers to assess the effectiveness of potential treatments.

Dr Victoria Goss, Associate Professor of Early Diagnosis and Translational Research at the Southampton Clinical Trials Unit says “The first trial included in the CVLP is only for patients with a particular type of colorectal cancer, as that is what the vaccine is targeting. But as the programme expands, more vaccines targeting other cancer types will be brought on board, giving more patients the opportunity to take part.”