Incanthera, (the Company) is pleased to announce that Yorkshire Cancer Research has awarded the Company a grant towards the funding of the Phase I clinical trial of our lead drug ICT2588.
Yorkshire Cancer Research (the charity), will invest £634,000 in the trial of the drug, which was discovered by researchers led by Professor Laurence Patterson at the University of Bradford’s Institute of Cancer Therapeutics in 2011 with early-stage research funding from the charity.
The drug is derived from colchicine, a natural compound occurring in the autumn crocus plant. It is designed to find and destroy solid tumours, sparing healthy tissue.
Patients from across Yorkshire with advanced cancers, including lung, breast, colorectal and prostate cancer, will be recruited to take part in the trial, which will be led by Professor Chris Twelves at the University of Leeds. The trial will be carried out by clinicians at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
The trial will be co-ordinated by the Yorkshire Cancer Research Centre for Early Phase Clinical Trials, which was created in 2014 to provide more opportunities for Yorkshire-based patients to participate in innovative studies.
Simon Ward, Chief Executive Officer of Incanthera, commented:
“We are delighted to have been awarded this grant from Yorkshire Cancer Research.
Awarding of funds is very competitive and as such this is a great endorsement of Incanthera’s ICT2588 drug, which we are very grateful to receive.
The funds will contribute greatly to the cost of our first clinical study in patients and will specifically benefit patients across Yorkshire.”
Charles Rowett, Chief Executive Officer at Yorkshire Cancer Research, said:
“We’re very proud to reveal plans for the first clinical trial of a drug discovered in our region thanks to funding from our charity and other organisations. The trial will bring this innovative treatment one step closer to reaching cancer patients.”
For further information, please contact:
Tim McCarthy, Chairman 07831 675747
Simon Ward, Chief Executive Officer 07747 625506
Montgomery Communications
Suzanne Brocks 07776 234600
Notes to Editors
Established in 2010, Incanthera is committed to the development of novel treatments for solid tumours (cancers), and licensing these to large pharmaceutical companies.
Operating from Manchester, with research facilities in Bradford and Salford, Incanthera was established from the University of Bradford’s Institute of Cancer Therapeutics (www.cancer.brad.ac.uk) to develop oncology treatments from a low cost base via a productive pipeline of early stage technology opportunities.
Managed by a team of experienced individuals drawn from commercial, scientific and regulatory backgrounds, the team also has experience in the establishment, growth and exit of small to medium sized companies.
The website at www.incanthera.com has been designed to showcase the Company’s outstanding expertise in cancer therapeutic technologies.