BioNtech's cofounders Dr Özlem Türeci and Prof Ugur Sahin, speaking at a press conference in Germany earlier this year. Photograph: Andre Pain/AFP via Getty Images
These are artificially modified immune cells that have been equipped with special receptors that are able to recognise structures on the surface of cancer cells. According to the latest study results, there was a 45 per cent response rate among 38 patients suffering from advanced stages of ovarian cancer and other cancers with solid tumours.
The company hopes that what it calls its BNT211 treatment could be used against tumours containing a protein called Claudin-6. These include ovarian, testicular, cervical cancer and stomach cancer as well as sarcomas. BioNTech said it hopes the ongoing study would allow research move to a full clinical study next year, required for full approval.