Pharma leaders sign up to UK oncology collaboration

A collaboration between some of the biggest names in UK cancer research and four global pharmaceutical companies is hoping to bring forward innovations that could improve patient care.

Led by Bruntwood SciTech with funding from Innovate UK and Cancer Research UK, the Oncology Development Programme at Alderley Park is aiming to develop an entrepreneurial culture amongst cancer researchers in the UK. Its ultimate goal is to bring forward commercial ideas to market more quickly, working with funding or collaborators that can increase their likelihood of success.

Pharmaceutical companies AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson Innovation, GlaxoSmithKline and Roche will work alongside The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Medicines Discovery Catapult and the Manchester Cancer Research Centre to support researchers and start-ups aiming to develop early-stage innovations.

The delivery partner for the programme, Medicines Discovery Catapult, will work with participating researchers and start-ups on their projects to help improve their likelihood of attracting future investment.

The programme is different to traditional accelerators which typically cover multiple therapeutic areas and are supported by one or two specialists from within a particular field. The nine-month Oncology Development Programme will aim to provide potential investors with detailed plans on how each company will deliver key data and value milestones during the following two to three years.

Dr Kath Mackay, managing director, Bruntwood SciTech - Alderley Park, said: “This is a really exciting and unique project that will help turn some of the most promising ideas in cancer research today into investable projects that will improve the way that cancer patients are diagnosed and treated during the course of their disease.

“It’s no secret that while the life sciences sector and indeed the wider world has understandably been focused on the pandemic, funding and research into beating cancer has suffered. Our new programme couldn’t be launching at a more critical time and, as with the race to find a Covid-19 vaccine, it signals a major collaborative effort involving global leaders. 

“By leveraging the best-in-class infrastructure and expertise at Alderley Park and the wider Bruntwood SciTech network, we can help the participants stay hands-on, doing what they do best, rather than having to down tools and focus on running a business.

“Bruntwood SciTech’s national network of innovation districts includes the leading precision medicine and health innovation campus Citylabs located at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust’s Oxford Road hub and the newly announced Birmingham Health Innovation Campus. The Oncology Development Programme's participants will have the opportunity to access the deep pool of talent and expertise from right across the UK.” 

Tony Hickson, Cancer Research UK's chief business Officer, added: "We're delighted to see this programme come to fruition as part of our Entrepreneurial Programmes Initiative. At the end of the day, we want to bring new, potentially lifesaving treatments to patients. Our initiative aims to drive entrepreneurship among cancer researchers and encourage innovation at the interface of academia and industry that can help bring ideas from bench to bedside.

"The infrastructure and expertise that Alderley Park and the pharma collaborators bring would put any researchers that go through the programme in a fantastic position to translate their research. I look forward to following the progress of the successful applicants." 

Participants that progress through the programme will receive up to £60,000 of grant funding to support the development of their business plans, including provision for salary replacement. They will also receive support to develop an optional ‘virtual R&D’ business model, provided by the Medicines Discovery Catapult, without the need to establish a research laboratory. 

A series of virtual workshops and Q&A sessions to support applications to the Oncology Development Programme will be held throughout November and December.