On May 26, 2009 Investigators at Cancer Research UK’s Cambridge Research Institute (CRI) in conjunction with Cancer Research Technology (CRT) reported that they have agreed major support from the pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) to investigate a promising new treatment in kidney, bowel and pancreatic cancer (Press release, Cancer Research Technology, MAY 26, 2009, View Source [SID1234523354]).
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CRT, the Cancer Research UK owned commercialisation and development company, has secured a deal with GSK which will make use of the charity’s expertise to carry out two projects. The first project seeks to understand how the compound GSK2136773 containing the active portion of an antibody, works in laboratory models of pancreatic cancer*. The second project will use sophisticated imaging techniques** to compare the antibody’s effectiveness against current therapies in treating bowel and kidney cancer. Financial details were not disclosed.
The scientists at the Cambridge Research Institute are experienced at running high quality translational studies using the Institute’s state of the art facilities and highly developed tumour models.
Collaborations such as these with GSK’s Academic Discovery Performance Unit allow CRI researchers to study the latest therapeutics in development and make use of the charity’s expertise in progressing potential new treatments towards clinical use.
Dr David Tuveson, head of the Tumour Modelling and Experimental Medicine laboratory at Cancer Research UK’s Cambridge Research Institute – who will lead the first project – said: "We are delighted to be working with GSK and making the most of our medical and scientific expertise to push forward this project. It will enable us to determine if the domain antibody will help target pancreatic cancer – a cancer that poses some of the toughest questions for scientists because it has proven so difficult to treat."
GSK2136773 was developed by GSK. It is a domain-based biopharmaceutical that binds to and inhibits the action of the protein VEGF. VEGF drives the development of an efficient blood supply to tumours and by blocking the blood supply, a tumour’s growth can be inhibited. Domain antibodies are the smallest active part of an antibody. They can be as small as a 12th of the size of a complete antibody and it is thought that the small size means they will be able to penetrate deeper into the tumour tissue, and therefore be more effective than traditional antibody therapies.
Dr Phil L’Huillier, director of business development at Cancer Research Technology said: "This collaboration offers an opportunity for our scientists to apply their world-leading expertise in cancer to help progress potential treatments. Taking a treatment from the laboratory to the patient is one of the most challenging steps in drug development and such collaborations can make an important contribution to this process."