Cancer Research UK signs experimental drugs deal

Through its commercial arm Cancer Research Technology, Cancer Research UK, alongside blood cancer charity Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research (LLR), has signed a deal to co-fund the early-phase human clinical trials of experimental blood cancer drugs.

According to a Cancer Research UK statement, the partnership will boost support for phase one and phase two clinical trial of promising treatments for leukaemias, lymphomas and myeloma.

A spokesman for Cancer Research UK said that specific experimental drug candidates would be decided through an appropriate review process, but none have been officially confirmed so far.

As part of the deal, LLR will provide access to novel therapies currently being researched by its scientists, as well as monetary support for Cancer Research UK to develop these therapies through preclinical and early-phase clinical development.

Clinical trials will be managed by Cancer Research UK’s Centre for Drug Development at various hospitals throughout the UK.

Over the course of five years, it is expected that five clinical trials will be funded, with funds from successfully marketed drugs being shared by both charities.

Nigel Blackburn, director of Cancer Research UK’s Centre for Drug Development, said: “Bringing together Cancer Research UK’s cutting-edge facilities and expertise, with Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research’s high quality research is an exciting prospect that we hope will bring promising new treatments to patients with blood cancer sooner.”

Likewise, LLR research director Richard Bunce hailed an exciting period in blood cancer research, as scientists are “identifying more treatment targets and developing more drugs than ever before”.

“The infrastructure and know-how exchanged by working together with Cancer Research UK will enable this initiative to give patients access to potentially life-saving breakthroughs sooner,” Bunce said.

Currently, blood cancers affect 30,000 people every year in the UK, Cancer Research UK said.