Deep Science Ventures and Cancer Research Horizons amp up efforts to create oncology ventures

The new ventures, which the two organisations will be able to invest in through pre-seed capital, will be incubated within Cancer Research Horizon’s Therapeutic Innovation laboratory network.

This builds on the success of a previous partnership which led to the formation of three new cancer therapeutics companies. Also joining the alliance today as a strategic partner is the Children’s Tumor Foundation, which will aid efforts in identifying possible venture-creation opportunities in neurofibromatosis. 

Whilst there have been huge improvements in therapies available to many cancer patients over the last 20 years - in particular with the advent of immunotherapy approaches - significant subsets of patients remain unresponsive or ineligible for existing treatments.

Through the alliance, DSV and Cancer Research Horizons will aim to identify and tackle some of those key remaining barriers across up to 10 fundamental areas in oncology.

The first new venture will focus on novel technologies for deep reprofiling of the immune system within specific immunotherapy-resistant contexts, while the following business will seek new approaches in neurofibromatosis, a collection of debilitating rare genetic disorders that cause benign tumours to grow on nerves and in other parts of the body. The latter effort will be supported by the Children’s Tumor Foundation which will provide resources, deep expertise and its close network connections with the neurofibromatosis community.

Each venture build will be led by a DSV Founding Analyst and overseen by a joint steering committee, who will work together to design a customised solution that leverages promising technologies in development throughout the scientific ecosystem; if successful, it will be spun out to further develop the technology and potential medicines.

DSV and Cancer Research Horizons are exploring additional commercial and non-profit strategic partners whose interests are aligned to other challenge areas.

Overall, the alliance will leverage DSV’s proven approach to ideation-based innovation and venture creation, which has already underpinned the creation of Enedra Therapeutics, Stratosvir, and Neobe Therapeutics in the first alliance with Cancer Research UK - among the 35 companies DSV has created to date.

Cancer Research Horizons for its turn brings deep oncology expertise and insights: the new alliance will see it add not only wet lab incubation space but also scientists to support the proof-of-concept work for the new ventures.

Dr Hamish Ryder, Chief Executive Officer of Cancer Research Horizon’s Therapeutic innovation organisation, said:

“Cancer Research Horizons supports an exceptional network of over 4,000 researchers. Our venture creation alliance with Deep Science Ventures provides them with the opportunity to get involved in a novel model for innovation which we hope will tackle some of the most pressing challenges in cancer medicine, driving forward positive change in how we treat patients.”

Dr Laura Fletcher, Head of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships at Deep Science Ventures said:

“We’re thrilled that Cancer Research UK continues to embrace DSV’s unique approach to innovation and that we are joining forces again to accelerate new cures for cancer patients.

“We look forward to the creation of additional high-impact ventures, which will benefit from hands-on resource from the laboratory team at Cancer Research Horizons Therapeutic Innovation, as well as invaluable support from the Children’s Tumor Foundation.”

About Deep Science Ventures

Deep Science Ventures creates sector-defining companies, contributing solutions to humanity’s existential problems by combining available scientific knowledge and highly technical founder-type scientists into high-impact ventures. Deep Science Ventures operates in 4 sectors, Pharmaceuticals, Agriculture, Computation and Energy, taking a systems-level view of opportunities and partnering with a wide variety of institutions to tackle the challenges defining those areas.

About Cancer Research Horizons

• Cancer Research Horizons is the innovation engine of Cancer Research UK – the world’s largest charitable funder of cancer research.
• We bring together world-leading minds, bold ideas and the right partners to bridge the gap between research and taking drugs to market. We focus on the tougher, more profound ideas that can lead to true innovation, translating them into effective treatments and diagnostics for cancer patients.
• To date, we’ve played an instrumental role in forming over 60 spin-out companies.
• We’ve helped bring 11 cancer drugs to market, borne out of Cancer Research UK’s pioneering research. Through these drugs, we have enabled in excess of 6 million courses of treatment for cancer patients across the world.
• With access to Cancer Research UK’s network of 4000 exceptional researchers, and £400+ million of annual research spend, we’re a powerful partner in the fight to conquer cancer.  
• By uniting our commercial partnerships and therapeutic innovation capabilities, Cancer Research Horizons is uniquely placed to support translational funding, licensing and collaboration, spin out creation, and offer a full spectrum of drug discovery and clinical capabilities.
• Every penny we make goes back into funding the next bold steps, to help bring forward the day when all cancers are conquered.
• For more information and to get in touch with the team, visit cancerresearchhorizons.com

About Cancer Research UK  

• Cancer Research UK is the world’s leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research, influence and information. 
• Cancer Research UK’s pioneering work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer has helped save millions of lives.  
• Cancer Research UK has been at the heart of the progress that has already seen survival in the UK double in the last 40 years.  
• Today, 2 in 4 people survive their cancer for at least 10 years. Cancer Research UK wants to accelerate progress and see 3 in 4 people surviving their cancer by 2034. 
• Cancer Research UK supports research into the prevention and treatment of cancer through the work of over 4,000 scientists, doctors and nurses. 
• Together with its partners and supporters, Cancer Research UK is working towards a world where people can live longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer. 

Cancer research UK's work or to find out how to support the charity, please call 0300 123 1022 or visit www.cancerresearchuk.org. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.    

About Children’s Tumor Foundation

The Children’s Tumor Foundation is the world’s leading nonprofit dedicated to funding and driving innovative research that will result in effective treatments for the millions of people worldwide living with NF, a group of genetic disorders that causes tumors to grow on nerves throughout the body. One in every 3,000 people is born with some type of neurofibromatosis or schwannomatosis, which may lead to blindness, deafness, bone abnormalities, disfigurement, learning disabilities, disabling pain, or cancer. NF affects all populations equally, and while there is no cure yet, the Children’s Tumor Foundation mission of driving research, expanding knowledge, and advancing care for the NF community fosters our vision of one day ending NF. For more information, please visit: ctf.org.