Cancer Research UK and the KWF Dutch Cancer Society enter partnership to bring multiple drugs into clinical development

Under the partnership, KWF intends to provide funding to enable the development of select early phase clinical programmes* through Cancer Research UK’s Centre for Drug Development (CDD). Cancer Research UK’s CDD will be utilising its 30 years of experience in ushering first-in-class and best-in-class therapeutics through the clinic to sponsor and manage KWF-supported trials as part of the strategic alliance.  

Both parties will have the opportunity to identify and nominate potential projects for clinical development. In particular, the alliance will focus on projects featuring a novel, promising, academic-derived agent which has the potential to address a high unmet clinical need. Typically, these agents are ready for the next step in development or have had their development stalled or delayed due to a lack of funding or resources. 

Projects will be assessed through the CDD’s review process, comprising both an internal review and an external assessment through its New Agents Committee**. Approved projects will then be brought into the CDD for its experienced team to plan, sponsor and run an early phase clinical trial. Cancer Research UK’s innovation unit, Cancer Research Horizons, will lead on any subsequent later-stage development which may include out-licensing to a suitable third party. 

As well as driving forward the shared aim to accelerate the translation of cancer research into better treatments for patients, the partnership will also serve as a knowledge-sharing platform for clinical development between the organisations. 

Dr Stephen Nabarro, Interim Director of Cancer Research UK’s Centre for Drug Development, said: 

“We are delighted to join forces with KWF, who will be invaluable in helping us bring more of the most promising early phase clinical agents into first in human trials”.

“The Centre for Drug Development is the world’s only charity-run drug development facility with a track record of success in bringing novel therapies to a point in their development which may not have otherwise been possible”. 

“Collaboration with like-minded organisations is essential to what we do. We look forward to seeing where this partnership goes, and which projects will be realised with the collaboration of KWF.” 

Prof.Dr.Carla van Gils, Director of KWF, said:  

“We are excited to provide bridging opportunities to bring academic discoveries into clinical development. Alongside the expertise and infrastructure of the Centre for Drug Development, we will help fast track these discoveries towards clinical practice.” 

“Many of academia’s most innovative agents can be difficult to bring into clinical development. But in collaboration with the Centre for Drug Development, we are delighted to embark on a journey where these promising early discoveries find a way into clinical testing with the aim of bringing new therapeutics to patients.” 

“Partnering with the Centre for Drug Development enables us to jump into the bench-to-bedside gap and fast track academic findings into clinical trials. We look forward to strengthening early clinical oncology research on an international level and are thrilled to see what the future holds for improving therapeutic strategies for patients.”