£5 million for drug development boost
25 Sep 2015 by Evoluted New Media
Cancer Research UK has announced £5 million to bring more cancer drugs to clinical trials.
The funding has been awarded to Newcastle University’s Northern Institute of Cancer Research – collaboration between Cancer Research UK, North of England Children’s Cancer Research Fund, Newcastle University and Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – to help a programme of six to eight research projects over the next five years.
Professor Steve Wedge at Newcastle University said: “This funding will allow us to investigate new approaches to target types of cancer that are difficult to treat, such as liver cancer and some cancers of the blood.”
The Newcastle drug discovery unit will focus on identifying targeted drugs, which are currently highly selective in their ability to kill cancer cells.
Dr David Scott, Cancer Research UK’s director of science funding, said: “We’re excited to further invest in the best drug development research taking place in the UK and to build upon Newcastle’s success. The Northern Institute for Cancer Research has the expertise to develop innovative drugs that could help save thousands of lives and we look forward to seeing the results of this extra investment.”
