The world’s first therapeutic cancer vaccine was developed by a bone surgeon in the 1890s. Progress since then has been modest. But optimism is now running high, thanks to a technology being developed by some front runners in the Covid-19 vaccine race.

The aim would be cure more than prevention — evoking an immune response to fight off tumours already infecting patients. New cancer vaccines would be built using a synthetic form of messenger RNA. These molecules carry genetic information needed to make proteins.

One such developer is Germany’s BioNTech, best known for developing a mRNA Covid-19 vaccine with Pfizer. It is applying the same approach to a vaccine, called BNT111, to treat malignant melanoma. Even before encouraging early trial results in July, analysts talked about its blockbuster potential. Regeneron of the US has signed up to collaborate on the next phase of trials.