Our Centre for Drug Development
We translate today's science into tomorrow's medicine
At the CRUK Centre for Drug Development (CDD), our goal is to bring much needed new treatments to people with cancer.
We are the partner of choice for early-phase cancer drug development. The academic, pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors across the globe trust us to realise the full potential of their research.
We have a proven track record
We have over 25 years of experience partnering with industry and academia to turn promising research ideas into novel therapies, including antibodies, imaging agents, cell therapies, vaccines and targeted small molecules. Our portfolio rivals that of a medium-sized pharmaceutical company in size, but in form reflects our unique strategy as a charity-funded organisation.
23
AGENTS UNDER ACTIVE DEVELOPMENT
25
YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
6
AGENTS HAVE BEEN REGISTERED AS MEDICINES
Our strategic priorities
As the world's only charity-funded drug development facility, our pioneering research is driven purely by the goal to see scientific breakthroughs bring benefits to patients sooner. Our priorities include:
- First in class therapies
- First in human clinical trials
- Projects where we can use pharmacodynamic and stratification biomarker technologies to identify and progress new treatments which have the greatest potential for patient benefit
Our capabilities and infrastructure
We have the capabilities and infrastructure needed to demonstrate clinical potential.
With a team of over 120 drug development scientists and operational staff, our expertise spans preclinical and medical sciences, regulatory affairs, quality assurance, project management, legal, drug safety, clinical operations and data management.
We have two manufacturing facilities which are licensed to produce the small molecule and biotherapeutic drugs we use in our clinical trials, something unique in the non-commercial sector in Europe.
Although we considered IMA950 very promising, our small company was lacking the internal resources to start clinical development of the vaccine. The CRUK Centre for Drug Development made it possible to perform an extensive multicentre trial.
Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH
We deliver progress through partnership
Working in partnership is key to achieving our ambitions and we have a number of flexible business models that allow us to collaborate effectively with you.
Our partnership models include:
- Clinical Development Partnerships, working with industry to bring new life to the most scientifically promising agents
- Academic Sponsorship, offering full development of promising agents which come from academic research
We are always looking to expand our portfolio of innovative, patient-focussed projects.
Our leadership team
Our leadership team of outstanding drug development professionals are responsible for our day-to-day business operations and our strategic development.
The CDD has a team of over 100 scientists and operational staff, the majority of which are based at the CRUK head office in London. We have similar functional teams to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, to take promising discoveries from exploratory and pre-clinical phases through to sponsorship and into clinical trials.
News and features
Keep up to date with the latest news and developments from our Centre for Drug Development.
First of its kind treatment vaccine moves into phase I clinical trial
June 2018
Under a collaboration agreement between Cancer Research UK and Asterias Biotherapeutics Inc, AST-VAC2 has moved into a phase I clinical trial for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
First patient dosed in trial run through our partnership with Bicycle Therapeutics
In this award winning partnership our Centre for Drug Development is sponsoring a Phase 1/2a study of BT1718, a first-in-class bicyclic peptide conjugated to a cytotoxic drug being developed by Bicycle Therapeutics.
Scancell and Cancer Research UK collaborate to advance novel cancer immunotherapy into clinical trials
Scancell and Cancer Research UK have entered into a Clinical Development Partnership to develop Scancell’s ImmunoBody® vaccine, SCIB2, for the treatment of patients with solid tumours.
Scientists exploit leaks in blood brain barrier to treat glioblastoma
Early results from our OPARATIC trial show that the ovarian cancer drug olaparib successfully reaches brain tumours at high enough levels for treatment.
Interview with Dr Nigel Blackburn in Nature Reviews Drug Discovery
Our Director talked to Nature Reviews Drug Discovery about why biotech is increasingly looking to the Centre for Drug Development, and its Clinical Development Partnerships scheme, to give their lead drug candidates the best possible chance of progressing through clinical trials.
CDD partnership with Bicycle Therapeutics wins prestigious Scrip Award
We're working together with Bicycle Therapeutics to trial a first-in-class drug in patients with advanced solid tumours, in an innovative partnership which has just won the industry Scrip Award for Best Partnership Alliance.
Complex, innovative and novel: a recipe for successful drug development
As our Centre for Drug Development celebrates its 25th birthday, we recognise the unique role Cancer Research UK plays in supporting early studies of anti-cancer therapeutics.
Cancer Research UK and Bicycle Therapeutics have collaborated to trial new therapy for advanced solid tumours
Cancer Research UK’s Centre for Drug Development will sponsor and fund a Phase Ia and Phase Ib clinical trial for a drug called BT1718, a Bicycle Drug Conjugate® (BDC) being developed by Bicycle Therapeutics, in patients with advanced solid tumours.
Rucaparib obtains FDA approval for ovarian patients
Rucaparib, first discovered by Cancer Research UK-funded scientists at Newcastle University, was taken in to phase 1 trials with support from the Centre for Development in 2003. In December 2016 the FDA fast-tracked rucaparib into the clinic to treat women with advanced ovarian cancer.