Cancer Research Technology (CRT) has announced an exclusive agreement with Cephalon, an international biotechnology company, to collaborate on the development of small-molecule inhibitors.
These molecules will target specific members of the Protein Kinase C super-family of cell signalling proteins, which have been shown to be associated with the development of cancer.
The collaborative development programme will progress CRT's lead compounds through to the selection of preclinical candidate molecules.
Under the terms of the agreement, CRT will be entitled to upfront and milestone payments and, upon the achievement of specific product sales targets, a double-digit royalty rate.
These small-molecule inhibitors will target the specific variants - called isoforms - of the Protein Kinase C family.
The isoforms at the centre of the collaboration have been strongly implicated in the development of cancer.
Cancer Research UK-funded researchers Prof Peter Parker and Prof Neil McDonald, working within its London Research Institute, contributed to the structural biology of these targets and their validation as players in cancer-cell growth and spread.
New chemical compounds have been rapidly progressed towards lead candidates using CRT Discovery Laboratories drug screening, specialist cancer biology and medicinal chemistry expertise.
The aim of this cross-discipline, two-centre collaboration is to generate preclinical candidate molecules for development by Cephalon into new drug therapies for cancer patients.
Cephalon will contribute substantial resources that will boost existing investment by Cancer Research UK and enable the quicker translation of potential drugs that may benefit cancer patients.
The work will take place at CRT's Discovery Laboratories in London and at Cephalon's research-and-development facility in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
