Cancer Research UK forms immunotherapy alliance
Cancer Research UK has formed a multimillion-pound drug discovery alliance with fellow charity LifeArc and Japanese company Ono Pharmaceutical.
Announced yesterday, March 27, the collaboration will identify targets for the development of both antibody and small molecule therapeutics.
The multi-year partnership brings together Cancer Research UK’s network of scientists and drug discovery expertise, LifeArc’s therapeutic antibody engineering and development expertise, and Ono’s track record in developing cancer immunotherapies, according to a release.
“Boosted by a multimillion pound investment from Ono and a further investment from LifeArc, drug discovery experts will be pursuing targets within Cancer Research UK’s extensive portfolio of immuno-oncology research,” added Cancer Research UK.
The alliance builds on a collaboration between the two charities announced in 2017.
Dr Hamish Ryder, director of Cancer Research UK’s therapeutic discovery labs, said: “As we enter into a new age of immuno-therapeutic approaches to cancer care, we hope that this partnership will accelerate the development of new treatments, bringing them to patients with cancer much faster.”
LifeArc will progress antibody projects via its antibody screening and development expertise, while Cancer Research UK’s therapeutic discovery labs will take forward the small molecule projects.
Melanie Lee, CEO of LifeArca, added that the collaboration is an example of “how shared goals and collaboration can create real value”.
Ono will have option rights to licence the outputs of the alliance and take on the clinical development and commercialisation of successful projects with worldwide exclusive rights.
Toichi Takino, executive director of discovery and research of Ono, added: “We are very pleased to join in the successful collaboration … and we believe that we together will successfully identify novel drug candidates for new cancer treatment in the immuno-oncology field, which will be further developed and commercialised by us throughout the world and fulfil unmet medical needs.”
Cancer Research UK and LifeArc will receive an upfront access fee for entering the alliance, as well as additional upfront, milestone, and royalty payments for licensed projects.
In September last year, LSIPR reported that a £14 million ($18.4 million) investment from Cancer Research UK had allowed the formation of a hub for cancer biotherapeutics research and treatment.
Later that year, the charity partnered with AstraZeneca to launch a centre to accelerate the discovery of new cancer treatments.
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