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Vaccine Clinical Trials UK

Find actively recruiting vaccine clinical trials in the UK. Explore personalised cancer vaccines, mRNA platforms, peptide vaccines, dendritic cell vaccines, and prophylactic vaccines being tested across oncology, infectious disease, and public health.

Free to use — Live data from ClinicalTrials.gov — Updated hourly

What Are Vaccine Clinical Trials?

Vaccines are among the most powerful tools in medicine. While most people know vaccines as injections that prevent infections, a new generation of therapeutic vaccines is emerging that treats existing diseases — particularly cancer. These cancer vaccines train the immune system to recognise and attack tumour cells by presenting tumour-specific antigens. The mRNA technology that powered COVID-19 vaccines is now being adapted for personalised cancer treatment, with UK hospitals at the forefront of this revolution. Alongside cancer vaccines, the UK continues to run major trials for infectious disease vaccines, including universal flu vaccines, HIV, RSV, and malaria.

Types of Vaccines in Clinical Trials

Personalised mRNA Cancer Vaccines

Vaccines custom-made for each patient using mRNA encoding neoantigens — unique mutations found only in their tumour. Manufactured within weeks from tumour biopsy data. Major trials in melanoma, NSCLC, colorectal cancer, and pancreatic cancer. The UK NHS is a key trial partner.

Peptide & Protein Vaccines

Synthetic protein fragments that mimic tumour-associated antigens. Combined with adjuvants to boost immune response. Studied in glioblastoma (EGFRvIII), breast cancer (HER2), prostate cancer (PROSTVAC), and lung cancer. Longer clinical track record than mRNA approaches.

Dendritic Cell Vaccines

Autologous cell therapy where a patient's dendritic cells are loaded with tumour antigens ex vivo and reinfused. Sipuleucel-T (Provenge) is approved for prostate cancer in the US; UK trials explore next-gen versions for glioblastoma, melanoma, and renal cell carcinoma.

Viral Vector Vaccines

Vaccines using modified viruses (adenovirus, poxvirus, measles) to deliver tumour antigens inside cells. Can trigger strong T-cell responses. Trials in ovarian cancer, head and neck cancer, and as priming agents before checkpoint inhibitor therapy.

Prophylactic (Preventive) Vaccines

Traditional vaccines to prevent infectious diseases. UK trials include universal influenza vaccines (targeting conserved antigens), next-gen COVID boosters, HIV vaccines, malaria, RSV, tuberculosis, and norovirus. The UK remains a global hub for vaccine clinical research.

Combination Vaccine Strategies

Vaccines paired with other treatments to enhance efficacy. Cancer vaccines combined with checkpoint inhibitors (PD-1/PD-L1), chemotherapy (immune priming), radiotherapy (abscopal effect), or oncolytic viruses. Multiple combination trials are running across UK cancer centres.

Conditions Using Vaccines in Trials

Vaccines are investigated in trials across many disease areas. Select a condition to explore relevant trials:

⚫ Melanoma 🫁 NSCLC 🧠 Glioblastoma 🫘 Pancreatic Cancer 🎗️ Breast Cancer 🫀 Colorectal Cancer 🎗️ Prostate Cancer 🎗️ Ovarian Cancer 🩸 Leukaemia 🔴 Lymphoma 🦠 HIV/AIDS 🦠 Hepatitis

FAQs About Vaccine Trials

What are cancer vaccines and how do they differ from traditional vaccines?
Traditional vaccines prevent infectious diseases by training the immune system to recognise a pathogen before exposure. Cancer vaccines (therapeutic vaccines) work differently — they are given to people who already have cancer and train the immune system to recognise and attack tumour cells. They use tumour-associated antigens, neoantigens (unique mutations in a patient's tumour), or mRNA encoding these antigens to stimulate a targeted immune response.
What is the difference between mRNA cancer vaccines and traditional cancer vaccines?
mRNA cancer vaccines deliver messenger RNA that instructs cells to produce tumour antigens, triggering an immune response. They can be manufactured rapidly and personalised to a patient's specific tumour mutations. Traditional cancer vaccines use peptide (protein fragments), whole tumour cells, or dendritic cells loaded with antigens. mRNA vaccines are faster to design and produce, but peptide and dendritic cell approaches have longer clinical track records.
Are cancer vaccines available on the NHS?
As of 2026, most cancer vaccines remain in clinical trials and are not yet routinely available on the NHS. However, the NHS is participating in major cancer vaccine trials through partnerships with companies developing mRNA personalised cancer vaccines. Patients can access cancer vaccines by enrolling in clinical trials — use our Smart Matcher to find relevant studies.
What infectious disease vaccines are currently in UK clinical trials?
The UK runs clinical trials for vaccines against influenza (universal flu vaccines), RSV, HIV, malaria, tuberculosis, norovirus, Zika, and next-generation COVID-19 boosters. The UK's Clinical Research Network is one of the most active vaccine trial ecosystems globally, with both commercial and publicly funded studies.

Related Treatment Types

🛡️ Immunotherapy

Broader immune-activating treatments often combined with cancer vaccines

🧬 Cell Therapy

Living cell treatments including dendritic cell vaccines and engineered immune cells

🧬 CAR-T Cell Therapy

Engineered T-cell therapy — another form of immune system activation

🔬 Gene Therapy

Genetic material delivery — related to mRNA vaccine technology

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