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 30 years 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.
~20
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
Our capabilities and infrastructure
We have the capabilities and infrastructure needed to demonstrate clinical potential.
With a team of over 100 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 a dedicated manufacturing facility which is licensed to produce small molecule drugs we use in our clinical trials, something unique in the non-commercial sector in Europe.
Partnering with Cancer Research UK gives us a unique opportunity to make a real difference. We look forward to developing this partnership further with our shared competence, funding and core vision of improving the lives of those affected by cancer.
Ingrid Stenstadvold Ross, General Secretary of the Norwegian Cancer Society
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 CRUK's head office in London. We have similar functional teams to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, to take promising discoveries from exploratory and preclinical 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.
International partnerships are needed to develop new cancer treatments
On International Clinical Trials Day Lars Erwig, Director of our Centre for Drug Development, talks to Drug Discovery World about developing treatments for rare cancers and the need for international collaboration with non-profits to fund more clinical trials while also facilitating patient recruitment. Our partnerships with the Norwegian Cancer Society (Kreftforeningen) and the Dutch Cancer Society (KWF Kankerbestrijding) do just that, recently treating our first patients outside the UK.
Interview with Pat LoRusso AACR President 2025
Patricia LoRusso, Chair of our New Agents Committee, in conversation with Lars Erwig, Director of our Centre for Drug Development. She talks about her journey in cancer drug development, the mentors who shaped her career and how she became AACR President for 2025. Read the article to discover Pat’s inspiring career and what to watch out for at this year’s AACR Annual Meeting.
New class of antibody shows promise for cancer patients
MOv18 IgE is a novel class of antibody developed by researchers at King's College London that targets the folate receptor alpha antigen. Our Centre for Drug Development funded and supported the preclinical development of MOv18 IgE, then funded, sponsored and conducted the first in class Phase I clinical trial led by Professor James Spicer at Guy's and St Thomas' Clinical Research Facility. A new paper sheds light on how treatment with MOv18 reactivates patients immune cells to fight ovarian cancer. Read more about it in Nature Communications.
Patient finds hope with CDD's DETERMINE trial
After her cancer treatment stopped working, Pamela Garner-Jones matched to a treatment on our DETERMINE trial via the TARGET National study, a molecular profiling programme that identifies mutations in certain genes. The results have been life-changing, with Pamela's tumours shrinking by two-thirds and her symptoms improving. Studies and trials like DETERMINE and TARGET National are paving the way for personalised cancer treatments, which can improve outcomes and cause fewer side effects, offering new hope and quality of life to patients.
CDD, the Norwegian Cancer Society and Cytovation collaborate to advance rare cancer treatment
Cancer Research UK, Cytovation and the Norwegian Cancer Society (NCS) signed an agreement to take Cytovation's lead asset, into a multi-national clinical trial. CY101 is a bifunctional peptide that targets and destroys cancer cells triggering an immune response while also inhibiting Wnt/beta-catenin, a key driver of immunotherapy resistance. The trial will treat people with adrenocortical cancer (ACC), a rare and aggressive cancer with limited treatment options and an urgent need for new therapies. Two people with ACC showed a clear clinical benefit in a previous trial of CY101. The trial will be developed, sponsored and managed by our Centre for Drug Development with NCS providing co-funding to support the trial.
CDD and KisoJi partner to advance first naked TROP2 antibody into the clinic
Cancer Research UK and KisoJi Biotechnology signed a landmark agreement to bring Kisoji's lead asset into a first in human clinical trial. KJ103 is a naked anti-TROP2 antibody created by Kisoji using their proprietary technology. The trial will treat people with TROP2 expressing tumours which include colorectal, head & neck, ovarian, breast and bladder cancers. The trial will be developed, sponsored and managed by our Centre for Drug Development and led by Professor Christian Ottensmeier at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre in Liverpool.
First patient dosed in CDD first in human trial of new immunotherapy
The first patient has been treated in our trial of HLA-G antibody UCB4594, the second trial in our collaboration with UCB. UCB4594 will be given to people with advanced cancer to prime their immune system to attack their cancer. Our Centre for Drug Development is sponsoring and managing the trial, which is led by Professor Fiona Thistlethwaite at the Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester with other UK sites to follow.
CDD and NovalGen collaborate to advance T cell engager into the clinic
Cancer Research UK and NovalGen, a pioneering clinical stage immunology company, announce a collaboration to bring NovalGen's next generation T cell engager into two first in human clinical trials. NVG222 is a bispecific T cell engager, targeting ROR1 and CD3, with an in-built autoregulation technology to mitigate toxicity and improve effectiveness for treating people with blood cancer or solid tumours. The trials will be developed, sponsored and managed by our Centre for Drug Development and led by Dr William Townsend at University College London Hospitals and Professor James Spicer at Guy's and St Thomas'.
Results of our trial of Bicycle Therapeutics' first in class Bicycle® Toxin Conjugate
See the results of our clinical trial of BT1718 in people with squamous non-small cell lung cancer and other MT1-MMP expressing cancers. The trial was led by Professor Udai Banerji at the Institute of Cancer Research.
CDD's trial of Nxera's cancer immunotherapy at ESMO
Our trial of Nxera's novel EP4 antagonist HTL0039732 led by Dr Bristi Basu at the Cambridge Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre was presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress in Barcelona (ESMO 2024). Read the poster here.
Making a real difference in cancer
Lars Erwig, our Director of Drug Development, talks to The Medicine Maker about about developing treatments for rare cancers and the need for pharma companies to increase collaboration with non-profits to deliver the best outcomes for patients.
First patient dosed in CDD Phase II trial of new pancreatic drug ginisortamab
The first patient has been treated in our trial of UCB's antibody ginisortamab, part of our collaboration with UCB. Ginisortamab will be given with standard chemotherapy to people with advanced pancreatic cancer. Our Centre for Drug Development is sponsoring and managing the trial, which is led by Professor Jeff Evans at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre in Glasgow with other sites across the UK and in Europe to follow.
Beyond Borders: going global with clinical trials
Our Director of Drug Development, Lars Erwig, talks about the need for global collaboration in clinical trials and international partnerships to pool expertise, resources and patients.
CDD and the Norwegian Cancer Society partner to bring more novel treatments into the clinic
Cancer Research UK and Norwegian Cancer Society, two leading cancer research charities, announce a new multi-project strategic partnership to maximise our unique drug development capabilities to benefit people affected by cancer. Under this international partnership NCS will share funding and expertise to accelerate development of new cancer treatments into early phase trials with our Centre for Drug Development.
First patient dosed in CDD Phase I trial of Aleta Biotherapeutics' CAR T cell engager
Our trial of first in class drug ALETA001 has treated the first patient. The trial is treating people with B-cell lymphoma whose disease has progressed after receiving CD19 CAR T cell therapy, offering a new therapy for people with limited treatment options. The trial is managed, run and sponsored by CDD and led by Dr Sridhar Chaganti at University Hospital Birmingham. The trial is also treating people in Cambridge, Manchester, Leeds and London.
More of our patients to have access to Trialmap to improve their experience of our clinical trials
Two more of our trials, due to open in 2024, will give each patient the opportunity to manage their own trial journey with the Stitch Trialmap app. The specially tailored app means that people on these trials will be able to view information about the trial, get reminders about appointments, contact CRUK's nurses for support and feedback their experiences so we can hear directly from patients throughout the trial.
Director of our Formulation Unit awarded OBE
CDD is very proud to announce that the work and research of Professor Gavin Halbert, the long time Director of our Formulation Unit based at the University of Strathclyde, has been recognised in the New Years Honours with an OBE. The CRUK Formation Unit was set up in the 1980s to provide drug formulation and manufacture for CRUK's early clinical trials of new experimental cancer treatments. Over the years Gavin's team at the Unit has worked on drugs such as temozolomide (approved for brain cancer in 2001), abiraterone (approved for prostate cancer in 2011) and rucaparib (approved for ovarian cancer in 2018), ensuring these new treatments were safe to be given to people for the first time in CDD's clinical trials and smoothing their pathway towards approval for every day use in the clinic, ultimately benefiting many thousands of people worldwide.
CRUK appoints new Director of CDD
CRUK appoints industry veteran Dr Lars Erwig as the new Director for our Centre for Drug Development, the world's only charity-funded drug development facility.
CDD reports the results of the SPIKE1 trial
We report the results of our SPIKE1 clinical trial of camostat in people who tested positive for Covid-19.
CDD and KWF collaborate to advance novel treatments into the clinic
Cancer Research UK and KWF Dutch Cancer Society, two of the worlds largest charitable funders of cancer research, announce a new multi-project strategic partnership to advance promising therapeutic agents for cancer through early clinical development. This international collaboration gives us a global outlook on cancer, broadening the potential benefit to patients worldwide.
Progress from CDD's novel antibody trial
Clinical data from our trial of Hummingbird’s anti-HER3 antibody HMBD001 for the treatment of people with HER3 driven cancer led by Professor Johann de Bono at the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust were presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress in Madrid (ESMO 2023).
People with rare cancers given hope by CDD's DETERMINE trial
Read in The Observer about 2 patients on DETERMINE, our large multi-drug precision medicine trial, who have seen their tumours reduce following treatment. DETERMINE offers people with rare cancer drugs already approved for more common cancers to see if they also work in rare cancers. The trial is led by Dr Matt Krebs at the Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Dr Lynley Marshall at the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and Professor Gary Middleton at Birmingham Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre. DETERMINE is also treating people in Belfast, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Newcastle, Liverpool, Sheffield, Leicester, Bristol, Cambridge, Oxford, Southampton and London.
First patient dosed in CDD trial of new cancer immunotherapy
Cancer Research UK and Sosei Heptares announce the first patient has been dosed our trial of Sosei's cancer immunotherapy HTL0039732, a novel EP4 antagonist. Our Centre for Drug Development is Sponsoring and managing the trial, which is led by Dr Bristi Basu at the Cambridge Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre and Dr Debashis Sarker at Guys and St Thomas' London. The trial is also treating people at other ECMCs at in Manchester, Cardiff and Liverpool.
New class of antibody shows promise for cancer patients
MOv18 IgE is a novel class of antibody developed by researchers at King's College London that targets the folate receptor alpha antigen. Our Centre for Drug Development funded and supported the preclinical development of MOv18 IgE, then funded, sponsored and conducted the first in class Phase I clinical trial led by Professor James Spicer at King's College London. Read more about it in Nature Communications.
CDD and Lineage Cell Therapeutics report the results of cancer vaccine trial
We report the results of our Phase 1 clinical trial of first in class drug VAC2 in people with non-small cell lung cancer.
CDD joins PRIME-ROSE to boost patient access to innovative treatments
PRIME-ROSE, a Europe-wide trial network with 24 partners in 17 countries led by Professor Kjetil Taskén and the University of Oslo, aims to boost patient access to precision cancer medicine (PCM) treatments. Our Centre for Drug Development joins as an associate partner in PRIME-ROSE to represent the UK as the lead organisation running DETERMINE, our PCM trial open to adult, young adult and paediatric patients with any rare cancer. Our collaboration with European colleagues to harmonise trial designs and share data will help speed up assessment of these treatments to bring new life-prolonging treatment options to people with cancer.
Results of CDD's first in class MOv18 IgE antibody trial
See the results of our first in class clinical trial of IgE antibody MOv18. It is the world’s first clinical trial of a new class of immunotherapy drugs which fight cancer using one of the body’s natural defences.
CDD and UCB collaborate to advance novel antibodies into the clinic
Cancer Research UK and UCB, a global biopharmaceutical company, announce a clinical development collaboration to advance two of UCB's antibody candidates through clinical trials: UCB6114, a potential first in class antibody targeting gremlin-1, and UCB4594, an antibody targeting HLA-G. The trials will be developed, sponsored and managed by our Centre for Drug Development.
Hummingbird Bioscience exercise the option to licence CDD's clinical trial results of HMBD001
Cancer Research Horizons and Hummingbird Bioscience announce that Hummingbird Bioscience has exercised their option to licence the first in human clinical trial results of anti-HER3 antibody HMBD001. Our Centre for Drug Development is sponsoring and managing the trial which is led by Professor Johann de Bono at the Royal Marsden Hospital and Institute of Cancer Research with other sites in Oxford, Newcastle and Manchester.
Novartis joins CDD's DETERMINE trial for rare paediatric and adult cancers
CDD welcomes Novartis on board. DETERMINE, a large multi-drug, precision medicine platform trial for adults and children with any rare cancer type, was set up by CDD in collaboration with the University of Manchester and Roche. Novartis is now joining as the second pharma partner to provide access to their targeted treatments for trial participants.
First of its kind Trialmap app to help improve patients' experience of our clinical trials
Our collaboration with Stitch creates a unique opportunity for each patient to manage their own trial journey with an app so we can hear directly from patients throughout the trial. CDD has worked with our patient involvement network to create the specially tailored app Trialmap which is being piloted on one of our clinical trials. People on our trial will be able to view information about the trial, get reminders about appointments, contact CRUK's nurses for support and feedback their experiences. We will apply their insights to design more patient-centred clinical trials for the best possible experience for our patients.
DETERMINE trial opens to treat rare adult and children's cancers
Cancer Research UK, the University of Manchester and Roche open DETERMINE, a large multi-drug, precision medicine trial for adults and children with rare cancers who need more treatment options. DETERMINE is sponsored and managed by our Centre for Drug Development and led by Dr Matt Krebs at the Christie NHS Foundation Trust. We aim to find out if treatments already approved for treating other cancer types will also work in rare cancers. Roche is providing 7 of their targeted drugs and other pharmaceutical partners are expected to join and contribute their drugs as the trial progresses.
Innovation Passport granted to ALETA001
The MHRA has granted an Innovation Passport for ALETA001, Aleta Biotherapeutics' CAR T-cell engager, under the Innovative Licensing and Access Pathway (ILAP). ILAP aims to accelerate development of new medicines. ALETA001 has been developed to benefit people with B-cell lymphoma whose disease has progressed after receiving CD19 CAR T-cell therapy, aiming to offer a new therapy for people with limited treatment options. The first clinical trial of ALETA001 will be developed, managed and sponsored by our Centre for Drug Development and led by Dr Sridhar Chaganti at University Hospital Birmingham.
CDD and Sosei Heptares join forces to advance cancer immunotherapy into the clinic
Cancer Research UK and Sosei Heptares, an international biopharmaceutical company and world leader in GPCR-focussed structure-based drug design and development, announce an agreement to bring Sosei's cancer immunotherapy HTL0039732, a novel selective EP4 antagonist, into the first clinical trial in people with cancer. HTL0039732 is proposed for a range of cancers including colorectal, gastro-oesophageal, prostate and head and neck cancer. The trial will be developed, sponsored and managed by our Centre for Drug Development.
CDD working in collaboration with Cancer Research Horizons
Cancer Research UK's new and ambitious approach to driving innovation in the development of new treatments for patients, combines the power of academia and industry. Cancer Research Horizons brings under one umbrella CRUK’s established drug discovery laboratories, network of world-class biology, cutting-edge technology platforms and clinical expertise, offering a unique R&D portfolio. Partners gain access to our extensive network of 4,000 world-leading cancer researchers and a discovery research portfolio investment of over £400 million annually.
Anti-tumour immune effects seen in CDD's trial of AMG319 published
Read in Nature about the immunological effects seen in our Phase II trial of AMG319, a PI3Kδ inhibitor. Intermittent PI3Kδ inhibition sustains anti-tumour immunity and reduces immune response adverse events. The CDD trial was led by Professor Christian Ottensmeier and conducted in collaboration with Amgen.
Results of CDD's first in class MCT1 inhibitor trial
See the results of our clinical trial of first in class MCT1 inhibitor AZD3965 in people with solid tumours and lymphoma.
CDD's CURATE trial treats the first patient
Cancer Research UK and the Teon Therapeutics announce the first patient has been treated in the CURATE trial of Teon’s first in class A2BR-specific antagonist, TT702, for people with a range of difficult to treat cancers. The trial is run and sponsored by our Centre for Drug Development and led by Professor Johann de Bono at the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust with other sites in Manchester and Southampton.
Clinical development of MOv18 IgE continues
Our Centre for Drug Development funded and supported the preclinical development of MOv18 IgE, then sponsored and conducted the first in class Phase I clinical trial led by Professor James Spicer at King's College London. MOv18 IgE is a novel class of antibody that targets the folate receptor alpha antigen. King's immuno-oncology spin-out Epsilogen has now raised funds from Novartis and other investor partners to enable continued development of the antibody to treat ovarian cancer. Read more about it from Guy's and St Thomas' Biomedical Research Centre, King's College London, and Fiercebiotech.
Celebrating life-saving research
On World Cancer Day our Centre for Drug Development delivered a fascinating webinar giving Cancer Research UK supporters a closer look at our life-saving research.
CDD's tailored patient involvement in clinical trials
Read on Applied Clinical Trials about how the team at our Centre for Drug Development makes sure people affected by cancer are at the heart of our work, helping us develop trials and medicines that are better tailored to patients’ needs.
First patient dosed in hard to treat cancers
Cancer Research UK and Hummingbird Bioscience announce the first patient has been treated in our first in human trial of Hummingbird's anti-HER3 antibody HMBD001. The trial aims to treat people with advanced HER3-positive solid tumours, including colorectal, head and neck, melanoma, breast, gastric, ovarian, prostate, and bladder cancers. Our Centre for Drug Development is sponsoring and managing the trial, which is led by Professor Johann de Bono at the Institute of Cancer Research with other sites in Oxford, Newcastle and Manchester.
Why does Cancer Research UK foster partnerships between industry and academia?
Read our article in Nature Reviews Cancer about how research funders like CRUK are uniquely placed to develop and promote collaborations between multiple partners, including industry, in a positive and ethical way.
Results of CDD's CAR T cell trial in neuroblastoma are published
We report results from our trial at Great Ormond Street Hospital in collaboration with UCL and Autolus Therapeutics plc. These results are the first early evidence that GD2 CAR T cells show activity in solid tumours without causing neurotoxicity.