Scancell Holdings PLC (AIM:SCLP, OTC:SCNLF) shares climbed 19% on Monday after the company announced a partnership with the NHS Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad to speed up recruitment for the next phase of its melanoma trial.
The initiative will fast-track eligible NHS patients into the fourth cohort of Scancell’s ongoing phase II SCOPE study, which is testing iSCIB1+, a DNA-based cancer vaccine delivered into the skin alongside standard immunotherapy. The study is coordinated by the Southampton Clinical Trials Unit.
Launched in May last year, the NHS Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad is a nationwide referral service linking patients to cutting-edge treatments. Scancell is the first UK biotech to join, and iSCIB1+ is the first DNA vaccine selected.
Melanoma makes up about 4% of UK cancer cases, and current immunotherapy works for only half of patients. Scancell’s vaccine is designed to activate key immune cells and may help the body create long-term protection. Patients will be screened via blood tests to determine eligibility.
The stock rose 1.6p to 9.85p.