Developed by Merck & Co and Moderna, the vaccine was tested alongside an immunotherapy drug in a phase three trial with 1,000 participants. Using mRNA technology, the treatment targets cancer cells based on patients’ tumour DNA. Preliminary results suggest patients remained cancer-free longer.

Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel called the results a “pivotal moment” for cancer research, while Oxford associate professor Lennard Lee described them as a “landmark moment”. NHS England cancer director Peter Johnson also called the findings an important advance. The developers have not disclosed how long the vaccine extended patients’ cancer-free period during the clinical trial.