Teva Pharmaceuticals and Cancer Research UK’s technology development arm, Cancer Research Technology, have partnered to research and develop new cancer drugs that can modulate DNA damage and repair response processes in cancer cells.

These processes play a key role in protecting cancer cells from the toxic effects of chemotherapy, and thus promote the survival and growth of the cancer cells most resistant to treatment. Targeting this repair mechanism represents a new approach to the development of effective treatment options.

The alliance is another in a growing list of collaborations where a for-profit company and a not-for-profit organization are coming together to realize shared goals, in this case improving clinical outcomes for cancer patients.

Cancer Research UK is the world’s largest cancer charity. Its network of universities and cancer research institutes will provide the foundation for the partnership’s work to develop new drugs in the area. Cancer Research UK has already done core research in understanding the mechanisms that cause and subsequently repair damage to DNA in cells, building an understanding that together with Teva’s expertise may lead to new therapeutics in the area. For Teva, the new partnership opens up the possibility of expanding the uses and effectiveness of its current cancer drug portfolio.

“Cancer Research UK scientists are carrying out exciting research in the area of DNA damage repair,” says Hamish Ryder, director of drug discovery at Cancer Research Technology’s Discovery Laboratories. “Some cancer therapies work by targeting DNA damage response pathways in cancer cells, and finding new ways to block repair in tumors can boost the effectiveness of existing therapies.”

Teva and CRT already have a working relationship. Under the new multi-year agreement, Cancer Research Technology will select new molecular targets from Cancer Research UK’s research portfolio in DNA damage and repair response. These targets will be validated for therapeutic importance before progressing to the early stages of drug discovery in the research organization’s Discovery Labs, after which the partners will work together to generate leads. It will receive research funding and be eligible to receive milestone payments, and royalties on projects advancing through Teva’s drug pipeline.

“For cancer patients, it is important that we maintain the momentum of progress that has been made in oncology in recent years,” says Michael Hayden, head of Teva’s global R&D and chief scientific officer. “This research collaboration will build on our understanding of how cells repair DNA damage, help us identify possible points of therapeutic intervention, and lead us onto a pathway toward improved clinical outcomes for cancer patients.”