Centre for Drug Development: Strategy and portfolio
Our strategic priorities
Our ambition is to accelerate the delivery of the next generation of medicines to the patients who need them.
As the world's only charity-funded drug development facility, our strategy is uniquely focused by the drive for patient benefit. We are particularly interested in innovative projects, and our strengths are in:
- First in class therapies
- First in human clinical trials
We maintain a broad portfolio across therapeutic modalities including antibodies, imaging agents, cell therapies, vaccines and targeted small molecules.
Our pipeline
Our development portfolio contains 10 small molecules and 14 biotherapeutic agents. Browse the agents below
Biologics
|
Agent (Trial) |
Target or Technology |
Partnerships |
Indications |
Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALETA001 |
Protein |
Lymphoma | Phase 1 | |
| ASTVAC2 | Vaccine LAMP, hTERT |
Lineage Cell Therapeutics | Lung | Phase 1 |
| Atezolizumab (DETERMINE) | Antibody PDL1 |
University of Manchester Roche |
Rare paediatric, TYA & adult cancer | Phase 2 |
| Ginisortamab | Antibody Gremlin1 |
UCB | Pancreatic | Phase 2 |
| HMBD001 | Antibody HER3 |
Hummingbird Bioscience | HER3 positive solid tumours, prostate | Phase 1/2 |
| KJ103 | Antibody TROP2 |
KisoJi Biotechnology | Solid tumours | Exploratory |
| MOv18 IgE | Antibody α-folate R |
King's College London | Solid tumours | Phase 1 |
| NVG222 | BITE ROR1, CD3 |
NovalGen | Haematological | Preclinical |
| Trastuzumab + Pertuzumab (DETERMINE) | Antibody combi HER2 |
University of Manchester Roche |
Rare paediatric, TYA & adult cancer | Phase 2 |
| UCB4594 | Antibody HLA-G1 |
UCB | Solid tumours | Phase 1/2 |
| VTP-600 (MAGE) | Vaccine MAGE3, NY-ESO-1 |
Barinthus Biotechnology Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research |
Lung, oesophageal | Phase 1/2 |
Small Molecules
|
Agent (Trial) |
Target |
Partnerships |
Indications |
Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alectinib (DETERMINE) |
ALK, TK1 |
University of Manchester Roche |
Rare paediatric, TYA & adult cancer | Phase 2 |
| MT1-MMP | Bicycle Therapeutics | Lung | Phase 1/2 | |
| Entrectinib (DETERMINE) | ROS1, TRK, ALK | University of Manchester Roche |
Rare paediatric, TYA & adult cancer | Phase 2 |
| EP4 | Nxera | Solid tumours | Phase 1/2 | |
| Cdc7 | Lilly | Solid tumours | Phase 1 | |
| Adenosine A2BR | Teon Therapeutics | Solid tumours | Phase 1/2 | |
| Vemurafenib + Cobimetinib (DETERMINE) | BRAF, MAP, MEK | University of Manchester Roche |
Rare paediatric, TYA & adult cancer | Phase 2 |
There are 4 other undisclosed programmes in development: 2 small molecules, a cytokine and a peptide.
Portfolio news
CDD and KisoJi partner to advance first naked TROP2 antibody into the clinic
October 2024
Cancer Research UK and KisoJi Biotechnology have 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
October 2024
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
October 2024
Cancer Research UK and NovalGen a pioneering clinical stage immunology company, announce a collaboration to bring NovalGen's next generation T cell engager NVG222 into a first in human clinical trial. 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 trial will be developed, sponsored and managed by our Centre for Drug Development and led by Dr William Townsend at University College London Hospitals.
CDD's trial of Nxera's cancer immunotherapy at ESMO
September 2024
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
September 2024
Lars Erwig, our Director of Drug Development, talks to The Medicine Maker 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 on CDD Phase II trial of new pancreatic drug ginisortamab
August 2024
The first patient has been treated in our trial of UCB's first in class Gremlin-1 targeted 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's Experimental Cancer Medicine Network and internationally to follow.
Beyond Borders: going global with clinical trials
May 2024
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
March 2024
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
February 2024
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.
Director of our Formulation Unit awarded OBE
January 2024
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 patients 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
December 2023
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.
CRUK and Guardant collaborate to advance clinical research and development activities
December 2023
Cancer Research UK, Cancer Research Horizons and Guardant Health Inc, a leading precision oncology company, announce a collaboration to explore opportunities to accelerate discovery and development of cancer drugs and diagnostics, focusing on CDD's clinical trials and other research collaborations.
CDD and KWF partner to advance novel treatments into the clinic
November 2023
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
October 2023
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 (ESMO 2023).
People with rare cancers given hope by CDD's DETERMINE trial
October 2023
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 and London.
First patient dosed in CDD trial of new cancer immunotherapy
August 2023
Cancer Research UK and Sosei Heptares announce the first patient has been dosed with 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 with other Experimental Cancer Medicine Network sites in Manchester, Cardiff and Liverpool.
New class of antibody shows promise for cancer patients
July 2023
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.
CRUK and Lineage Cell Therapeutics report the results of CDD's cancer vaccine trial
July 2023
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 European consortium
June 2023
PRIME-ROSE, a Europe-wide consortium 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.
CDD and UCB collaborate to advance novel antibodies into the clinic
March 2023
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
March 2023
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
December 2022
CDD launch their first major collaboration with Novartis. DETERMINE, a large multi-drug, precision medicine platform trial for adults and children with rare cancers, was set up by CDD in collaboration with the University of Manchester and Roche. Novartis is now joining as the second pharmaceutical partner to provide access to their targeted treatments for trial participants.
CDD and Sosei Heptares join forces to advance cancer immunotherapy into the clinic
July 2022
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 a first in human clinical trial. 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 partnership to help improve patients' experience of our clinical trials
July 2022
Our collaboration with Stitch creates a unique opportunity for each patient to manage their own trial journey and for us to hear directly from patients throughout the trial. CDD worked with our patient involvement network to create a specially tailored app. People on our trials will be able to feedback their experiences and we will apply their insights to design more patient-centred clinical trials for the best possible experience for our patients.
CDD working in collaboration with Cancer Research Horizons
April 2022
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.
CDD's CURATE trial treats the first patient
March 2022
Cancer Research UK and 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.
CDD partners with cancer researchers across the UK to find drugs to treat rare cancers
December 2021
Cancer Research UK, the University of Manchester and Roche announce a partnership to run DETERMINE, a large multi-drug, precision medicine platform trial for adults and children with rare cancers who have run out of other treatment options. DETERMINE will be sponsored and managed by our Centre for Drug Development and will use targeted treatments that are already approved for treating other cancer types. Roche will provide 7 of their targeted drugs. Other pharmaceutical partners are expected to join and contribute their drugs as the trial progresses. Read about DETERMINE in the PharmaTimes.
CDD collaborate with Aleta Biotherapeutics to advance blood cancer therapy into the clinic
June 2021
Cancer Research UK and Aleta Biotherapeutics have signed an agreement to progress the early phase clinical development of ALETA001, their CAR T-cell engager. ALETA001 has been developed to benefit people with B-cell lymphoma whose disease has progressed after receiving CD19 CAR T-cell therapy. Our Centre for Drug Development will develop, sponsor and conduct the first in human Phase 1/2a clinical trial, to be led by Dr Sridhar Chaganti at University Hospital Birmingham.
CDD partner with Teon Therapeutics to develop new drug into the clinic
December 2020
Teon Therapeutics announce a collaboration with Cancer Research UK's Centre for Drug Development to progress TT702, Teon’s first-in-class A2BR-specific antagonist, to a Phase 1/2 clinical trial in prostate and other cancers. Our Centre for Drug Development will develop, sponsor and manage the clinical trial.
Lineage Cell Therapeutics exercises its option early to CDD immuno-oncology programme
May 2020
Lineage announce it is exercising its option to acquire data early from our Centre for Drug Development's first in class Phase 1 trial of ASTVAC2 (also called VAC2) in people with non-small cell lung cancer. Immunogenicity data from the clinical trial supports the Mechanism of Action. Cancer Research UK will provide input on the potential use of the VAC platform in the infectious disease space to develop a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19.
Partnership for first in human trial for new lung cancer immunotherapy
December 2019
Cancer Research UK, Vaccitech Oncology Limited (VOLT) and the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research in Oxford announce a partnership to bring a novel immunotherapeutic vaccine to people with non-small cell lung cancer. The trial, to be run and sponsored by our Centre for Drug Development, will see if combining the new vaccine with standard chemotherapy and anti-PD1 drugs improves the effectiveness of these treatments and also provokes a safe anti-cancer immune response, improving outcomes for lung cancer patients.
CDD sign manufacturing agreement with BioInvent
October 2019
HMBD-001, Hummingbird Bioscience's anti-HER3 antibody, is being jointly developed with our Centre for Drug Development for a CDD sponsored Phase 1 clinical trial. We have signed an agreement with BioInvent, based in Lund Sweden, to manufacture the antibody to GMP. It will then be passed to our CRUK Formulation Unit at the University of Strathclyde to produce the final drug that will be given to patients.
Our track record of marketed drugs
Abiraterone
Discovered at the CRUK Cancer Therapeutics Unit at The Institute of Cancer Research, and developed by the Centre for Drug Development before licensing to Janssen Biotech, Abiraterone acetate (Zytiga®) is a hormonal therapy for prostate cancer.
Pemetrexed
Pemetrexed (Alimta®) is indicated for pleural mesothelioma and non-small cell lung cancer.
Temozolomide
One of our earliest successes, discovered by CRUK-funded scientists and developed by the CDD in the 1980s and 90s, Temozolomide (Temodal ®) is used worldwide as the frontline drug for glioblastoma and astrocytoma.
Etoposide phosphate
Etoposide phosphate (Etopophos®) is a drug used in small cell lung cancer and testicular tumours that no longer respond to other treatments.
Rucaparib
Discovered by CRUK scientists at the Northern Institute for Cancer Research in a programme built on breakthroughs from CRUK's basic science, we progressed the early development of the PARP inhibitor Rucaparib (Rubraca®).
Formestane
Formestane (Lentaron®) is a selective aromatase inhibitor that was indicated for the use in breast cancer, but was subsequently superseded by third-generation inhibitors such as letrozole.
Contact us
We're looking to partner with leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and academic scientists who require resource, capabilities or expertise to develop new agents for the treatment of cancer.