Latest news from the Centre for Drug Development

The Cancer Research UK and UCB phase I/II first in human dose-escalation and expansion trial of UCB4594 (an anti-HLA-G antibody) in patients with advanced cancer is presented at ESMO 2025 by Fiona Thislethwaite.

Key data from the Phase 1 trial of Nxera’s novel oral EP4 antagonist, HTL0039732, was presented at the ESMO 2025 Congress. The trial successfully met its primary objectives and identified a dose for the ongoing Phase 2 expansion study.

The novel EP4 antagonist HTL0039732 combined with atezolizumab is safe and well tolerated. Phase I results will be presented at ESMO2025. The Phase IIa is treating patients with colorectal, gastric, gastroesophageal, kidney and prostate cancer at ECMCs in Cambridge, London, Manchester, Liverpool, Cardiff and Dundee, led by Bristi Basu at Cambridge and Debs Sarker at Kings College London.

Our first in human trial of NovalGen’s NVG222 starts later this year in patients with lymphoma. The trial, led by Will Townsend (UCLH), will also treat patients at ECMCs in Southampton, Newcastle, Guys and Oxford.

Our director, Lars Erwig, speaks with Drug Discovery World about why international partnering is one way to ease the burden of patient recruitment while addressing the funding crisis for clinical trials.

Patricia LoRusso, Chair of our New Agents Committee, in conversation with our Director, Lars Erwig, shares her journey in cancer drug development, the mentors who shaped her career and how she became AACR President for 2024/25.

A new paper in Nature Communications shares how treatment with MOv18, a novel antibody class targeting the folate receptor alpha antigen, reactivates patients immune cells to fight ovarian cancer. We supported its preclinical development and 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.

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.

We signed an agreement with Cytovation and the Norwegian Cancer Society to take Cytovation's lead asset CY101 into a multi-national clinical trial. The trial will treat people with adrenocortical cancer, a rare and aggressive cancer with limited treatment options and an urgent need for new therapies. We'll develop, sponsor and manage the trial with NCS providing co-funding.