Utrecht, 14 April 2022 – The National Growth Fund is investing a total of 325 million euros in Oncode-PACT’s plan to accelerate the preclinical development process of cancer drugs. This was just announced during the press conference of Jeroen Dijsselbloem, chairman of the National Growth Fund Committee. The committee recommends allocating the entire amount, of which 161 million euros will be direct and a conditional award of 164 million euros. With this funding, Oncode-PACT will develop valuable candidate cancer drugs faster and cheaper and thus bring them to patients sooner. This improves the quality of life of cancer patients and strengthens the future economic earning capacity of the Netherlands. IKNL is involved in Oncode-PACT as a partner.
The development of a medicine takes on average 10 to 15 years, calculated from the first scientific insights until the moment that patients have access to it. Too often, at the end of this lengthy development process, the drug candidate is not effective enough, or for other reasons does not reach the right patient. Many and late failures in drug development are associated with long and high investments that ultimately do not lead to new drugs. The current development process of cancer drugs is therefore expensive, takes too long, usually only works for some patients and the patient who is now ill is of no use. Oncode-PACT aims to provide solutions to these problems.
Patients in the lab
Oncode-PACT has the ambition to develop new and demonstrably effective cancer drugs faster and cheaper. The medical necessity is great, because cancer is still the number 1 cause of death in our country. Alain Kummer, Managing Director Oncode Institute and Chairman Oncode-PACT, explains: ‘Oncode-PACT places the patient at the center of the entire drug development chain. In the current situation, the preclinical development process is still insufficiently connected with clinical practice and the patient is only identified much too late. By using patient data and tissues from patients early in the development process – using organoid technology and artificial intelligence – it is possible to assess whether a potential drug is effective and safe much earlier in the process and with greater certainty. Moreover, this will reduce the use of animal testing.’ Oncode-PACT brings the patient into the lab in this way. This reduces the chance that drug candidates will lose weight in large-scale clinical studies. With the approach envisioned by Oncode-PACT, it is already clear before the start of clinical research in which group of patients the greatest effectiveness can be expected and under which circumstances. This makes it possible to tackle the important phase of clinical research in a more targeted, small-scale and faster way.
Huge market potential for cancer drugs
Kummer continues: ‘The worldwide sale of innovative cancer drugs and contract research for drug development are enormous economic opportunities for the Netherlands. Dutch knowledge institutions and (SME) companies will have access to the expertise and facilities to go through the preclinical development process faster and more effectively. In this way Oncode-PACT creates new business, knowledge and technology in drug development and contract research, strengthens the business climate for foreign companies and develops effective and affordable cancer treatments.’
Impact on patients
The way of working within Oncode-PACT ensures that patients can be helped as early as possible and better. Thanks to this new way of drug development, it will be possible in the future to offer tailor-made treatment at a much earlier stage in a person’s disease process and thus make a difference.
Platform
Within Oncode-PACT, IKNL contributes to the development of a technological platform for preclinical and early clinical research into new medicines. Geraldine Vink, involved in Oncode-PACT from IKNL and also program leader of the colon cancer research cohort PLCRC, explains: ‘We have a lot of data available within oncology. In data processed in the Dutch Cancer Registry, in cohorts such as PLCRC and in other data sources. Material is also available, for example in the form of tissue and blood. We want to use all that data as optimally as possible. For example, to determine which patients respond well to certain medicines. Or to research the characteristics of a certain group of patients: how do they differ from other patients? Getting the necessary clinical data from patients quickly in real time is a challenge. But with the data and the research, we can learn to select the right patients for the right research, within the legal frameworks that apply. We are working on fulfilling these ambitions from the platform.’
Over Oncode-PACT
Oncode-PACT is a unique national consortium of public and private partners, in which Oncode Institute is the lead party. Within Oncode-PACT, researchers, oncologists, knowledge institutes and the business community work together to develop better and affordable cancer medicines more quickly. There is close coordination with the Ministry of EZK (applicant) and the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport. In addition to the planned own investment by the Oncode-PACT partners, a contribution has been requested from the National Growth Fund to be able to realize the national plan.