Innovate UK: £12M funding awarded to advance innovative cancer projects

Twenty-three companies will benefit from a share of £12 million from the Innovate UK Cancer Therapeutics programme.

The Cancer Therapeutics programme focuses on developing life-changing cancer treatments, including immunotherapies and vaccines. It also supports projects addressing unmet medical needs for treating childhood and young persons’ cancers.

The investment from Innovate UK will drive both early and later stage innovations in cancer therapies, building on UK economic potential in this field.

Industry-led research and development

£11.3 million will be shared by 16 projects led by small and medium-sized enterprises at various stages right from feasibility through to regulatory approval.

Targeting ancient mechanisms and interfering with proteins

Stimulating the immune system to attack cancers has been a major breakthrough in cancer therapy, meaning some patients are now surviving previously fatal cancers. True cures have remained rare, however, and many cancers only respond minimally, if at all.

Momentous Therapeutics has discovered a biochemical mechanism dating back to the earliest forms of life, that controls activation of the immune system. The company’s project is to develop a drug that releases this ‘biochemical brake’, realising the immense potential of cancer immunotherapy.

Revolver Therapeutics‘ project will involve identifying tiny proteins, known as peptides, that can enter cells to prevent specific cancer-causing proteins from binding to DNA within a child’s brain tumour. This phenomenon is strongly associated with high-grade childhood brain and spinal tumours. It is hoped that by interfering with these DNA-binding proteins, these cancers affecting children can be treated.

Feasibility studies

Seven organisations will receive a share of £700,000 to complete feasibility studies to develop new approaches in cancer therapeutics.

The companies participated in Innovate UK’s Oncology Accelerator, delivered by Lean Life Science in 2023 and co-funded by Cancer Research Horizons. Through a closed feasibility competition, they received follow-on financial support from Innovate UK to assess the technical and commercial viability of their early-stage projects.

The projects cover a range of cancers, including pancreatic, ovarian and breast, as well as immunotherapies aimed at stimulating patients’ immune systems to find and destroy cancer cells.

Enhancing and transforming

One of the successful companies is OligoTune. It will use its grant to enhance its immune system activating ribonucleic acid (RNA) technology to develop potent cancer therapies, aiming to improve the treatment of solid tumours.

Another, Galytx, is developing novel and potentially transformative therapeutic drugs for the most aggressive cancers. Their project will help them to accelerate their development strategy.

Turning breakthroughs into real-world solutions

Dr Stella Peace, Executive Director for the Healthy Living and Agriculture Domain at Innovate UK, said: "We’re pleased to be supporting business-led innovation at various stages of development, from projects progressing from our Oncology Accelerator, to SME-led collaborative research. By driving business growth and supporting the development of transformative therapies, we’re enabling innovators to turn their breakthroughs into real-world solutions that make life better and fostering economic growth that benefits society as a whole."

Tackling cancer through innovative treatments

Minister of Science Patrick Vallance said: "Supporting researchers through this funding is an integral part of our mission to tackle cancer through innovative treatments that could benefit patients of all ages, and give innovative small businesses the support they need to scale-up the development of their groundbreaking ideas here, in the UK. With Government backing for projects at every stage, the UK’s life sciences sector will continue to be at the forefront of research that is producing ground-breaking therapies that could be transformative for the thousands of people struggling with the disease up and down the country."

Diversifying the pipeline of safe and effective therapies

Dr Karen Spink, Head of Medicines at Innovate UK, said: "We are excited to see the diversity of businesses that have been supported through our cancer therapeutics programme. The industry-led R&D projects will advance transformative treatments for a range of cancers, including those that affect children and young people. The early-stage feasibility awards will also enable the de-risking of promising innovations that have been nurtured through our oncology accelerator. Together, this portfolio of investments will diversify the pipeline of targeted, safe and effective therapies for cancer patients."

This article was first published on 28 August by Innovate UK.