UK Cancer Research Technology deal with US biotech Cephalon on kinase inhibitors

Collaboration

Cancer Research Technology (CRT), the commercialisation arm of the UK research charity, has announced an exclusive agreement with Cephalon Inc in the development of small molecule inhibitors of the Protein Kinase C superfamily of cell signalling proteins.

The collaboration will progress lead compounds, discovered at CRT’s new Discovery Laboratories, through to the selection of pre-clinical candidates. Under the terms of the agreement CRT will be entitled to significant upfront and milestone payments, and royalties on sales of any products.

The inhibitors target specific variants of isoforms of the Protein Kinase C family. Cancer Research UK-funded researchers Peter Parker and Neil McDonald, at the London Research Institute, contributed to understanding of the structural biology of these targets and their validation as drug targets.  

Cephalon will contribute substantial resources for the work, which will take place at CRT’s Discovery Laboratories in London and Cephalon’s research and development facility in West Chester, Pennsylvania.

Keith Blundy, chief executive of CRT, said, “The agreement with Cephalon is a major milestone for CRT’s Discovery Laboratories, being the first of its small molecule discovery programmes to partner with an international biopharmaceutical company.”

John Mallamo, Vice President of Worldwide Chemical R&D at Cephalon, said, “This collaboration between Cephalon and CRT creates a critical mass of biology and chemistry expertise, capable of quickly advancing the high quality lead series CRT has identified, and provides Cephalon with an expanded oncology discovery portfolio.

Protein Kinase C is a protein family that plays a pivotal role in cell signalling and the control of processes including cell growth and division.