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Cancer Research UK appoints new director to lead its Centre for Drug Development
- Published date:
- December 12 2023
Cancer Research UK has appointed industry veteran Dr Lars Erwig as the new director for its Centre for Drug Development, the world's only charity-funded drug development facility.
With Cancer Research UK’s aim to beat cancer, the centre has a critical role to play in partnering with others to ensure that pre-clinical and early-phase clinical projects with the highest potential for patient benefit are prioritised and rapidly advanced.
In his new role, Dr Erwig will be responsible for shaping an exciting and cutting-edge portfolio of first-in-human trials for the charity, working closely with Cancer Research UK’s academic research community and partners across industry and biotech. He brings a wealth of experience and expertise in academia as well as in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors, having joined from J&J where he was vice president for External Innovation, responsible for growing academic and industry networks and advancing external opportunities.
Dr Erwig replaces Nigel Blackburn who retired earlier this year. He starts on 1 February 2024 and will report to Dr Iain Foulkes, Executive Director, Research and Innovation and CEO of Cancer Research Horizons.
Commenting on the new appointment, Dr Foulkes said: “At Cancer Research UK, we have 30 years of experience partnering with industry and academia with six medicines reaching the market and health systems around the world. But there is so much more innovation that could be translated for patients and I am delighted that Lars will be joining the centre to identify new opportunities for CDD to progress. He will bring tremendous strength in identifying novel agents, working closely with other organisations and agencies involved in drug development.”
Commenting on his new role, Dr Erwig said: “The Centre for Drug Development occupies a unique place in drug discovery, drawing on a world-class network of researchers and an innovative approach to partnerships. I am excited to join Cancer Research UK as CDD director and continue the quest for developing novel, kinder and more effective therapies for people affected by cancer.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
About the Centre for Drug Development
Cancer Research UK has an impressive record of developing novel treatments for cancer. The Cancer Research UK Centre for Drug Development has been pioneering the development of new cancer treatments for 30 years, taking over 160 potential new anti-cancer agents into clinical trials in patients. It currently has a portfolio of over 20 new anti-cancer agents in preclinical development, Phase 1 or early Phase 2a clinical trials. Six of these new agents have made it to market including temozolomide for brain cancer, abiraterone for prostate cancer and rucaparib for ovarian cancer. 13 other drugs are still undergoing active development. www.cruk.org.uk/cdd
About Lars Erwig
Dr Erwig joins from J&J where he was vice president for External Innovation responsible for growing academic and industry networks and advancing external opportunities.
Prior to joining Johnson & Johnson Innovation, Dr Erwig worked for Galvani Bioelectronics (a GSK/Google-Verily funded company) as vice president and head of Experimental Medicine and Clinical Development. He was responsible for taking the emerging field of peripheral precision neuromodulation into human clinical trials in chronic autoimmune conditions.
He also worked at GSK in the Experimental Medicine Discovery Performance Unit within the immuno-inflammation therapy area, and before joining industry, he held the post of professor of nephrology at the University of Aberdeen with a special interest in multisystem autoimmune disease. He published extensively on the role of macrophages in inflammation and host pathogen interactions.
Contact
Tim Bodicoat
Content Manager, Cancer Research Horizons
[email protected]
