The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) and Merck KGaA have announced a renewal of their strategic alliance to discover and develop new small-molecule cancer drugs.

Throughout the multi-year, multi-target collaboration, both organisations will contribute their expertise in drug discovery to the partnership.

As part of the agreement, significant financial and staff commitments from both organisations will be made, including the funding of nine full-time research posts at the ICR by Merck.

Scientists at the ICR’s Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery will cooperate with researchers at German science and technology company Merck on a variety of projects that aim to discover and develop new small-molecule inhibitors of a new class of cancer targets.

In 2021, the ICR opened a new building worth £70m as part of its site in Sutton, South London, which houses around 300 scientists working across a range of disciplines in cancer drug discovery.

Earlier this month, ICR researchers also developed an investigative procedure that makes the early stages of drug discovery more efficient to help scientists identify new biologically active compounds to be used to develop effective medications for cancer.

The renewed collaboration adds to a number of ICR and Merck’s collaborations and partnerships spanning across two decades.

Professor Olivia Rossanese, head of the division of cancer therapeutics and director of the ICR’s Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery, said the partners will collaborate to “focus on discovering innovative small-molecule therapeutics”, which could lead to “delivering new, life-saving treatments to cancer patients”.

“Our long-term alliance with Merck in drug discovery and development is… a great example of a long-term, effective partnership that involves genuine collaboration, integration and shared responsibility – and of great science in understanding exciting, innovative targets that could lead to new cancer drugs,” said Jon Wilkinson, director of business and innovation at the ICR.

In 2018, the ICR teamed up with Merck and Cancer Research UK researchers at its ICR unit for three preclinical oncology drug discovery programmes.

Most recently, Merck entered into two strategic collaborations to strengthen AI-driven drug discovery with BenevolentAI and Exscientia in key therapeutic areas of oncology, neurology and immunology.

https://www.pmlive.com/pharma_news/icr_and_merck_renew_strategic_alliance_for_new_cancer_drugs_1500770