Cancer Research Horizons – Cancer Research UK’s newly launched innovation engine – and research-led medical university, the Karolinska Institutet, have announced a five-year strategic partnership aiming to accelerate the translation of academic cancer research into improved treatments for patients.
The partners share a long-term strategy of promoting and supporting industry collaborations, facilitating the generation of new scientific discoveries that can be rapidly translated into clinical practice.
Tony Hickson, chief executive officer for Cancer Research UK and Cancer Research Horizons, said: “Not enough promising treatments are reaching cancer patients fast enough. In order to maximise patient benefit from the world-class research we fund, we need to accelerate its translation into clinical practice.
“But we can’t do this alone and need expert partners like the Karolinska Institutet to join us in our efforts to beat cancer.
Under the terms of the collaboration, the partners have made commitments to several joint activities including research collaborations and funding initiatives, theme-based alliances, mutual access to facilities, expertise and tools, as well as joint events and training programmes.
Accessing each other’s networks and collaboration partners will also be a major focus of the partnership, enabling the validation and translation of novel targets and mechanisms.
Through the partnership, Karolinska Institutet researchers will also be able to access the Cancer Research Horizons AstraZeneca Antibody Alliance Lab to use AstraZeneca’s phage display technology and associated technologies to undertake drug discovery research on novel cancer targets.
Martin Bergö, academic vice president for research said: “We are particularly excited by the opportunities that will arise from our new partnership with Cancer Research Horizons when it comes to realising our ambitions to translate basic and clinical research knowledge into meaningful therapies for cancer patients.”
Earlier this month, Cancer Research Horizons announced it was extending its strategic drug discovery alliance with Newcastle University and Astex Pharmaceuticals.
The agreement will extend the current alliance between the three parties by a further five years and will continue to focus on the discovery of potential new cancer drugs with associated biomarkers.
Under the terms of the agreement, Astex retains the right to an exclusive worldwide licence to take the most promising projects forward into pre-clinical and clinical drug development, with Cancer Research Horizons and Newcastle University eligible to receive milestone and royalty payments on any compounds that make it into clinical development and onto the market.