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Cancer Research

Summary of the impact

Cancer research at the University of Salford focuses on developing new and improved treatments for cancer, particularly for children with cancer, demonstrating the following impact:

  • The development of RH1, a novel anticancer drug and a second generation novel agent, Es5, arising from RH1;
  • Participation in clinical studies in paediatric and adult cancers with North West, UK and international partners in the health, charitable and commercial sectors to trial and develop the technologies;
  • The establishment of spin-out company, Onco-NX to develop and exploit the technologies and IP arising from the research;
  • The establishment of Kidscan, a University-based registered charity to support research into new and improved treatments for children with cancer and generating dedicated support for and commitment to cancer research among North West UK communities.

Submitting Institution

University of Salford

Unit of Assessment

Biological Sciences

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Immunology, Oncology and Carcinogenesis, Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Meeting clinical challenges in the UK and sub-Saharan Africa via drug redeployment.

Summary of the impact

The provision of effective and sustainable healthcare is a major challenge for society. In the developed world escalating costs are placing a huge burden on finite resources; in the developing world, where financial resources are often extremely limited, providing affordable healthcare is an even greater problem. One innovative route to help alleviate these problems is through drug redeployment, whereby existing drugs are employed in new ways to tackle serious diseases. Combining their knowledge of haematological disease gained from their research over the past 20 years together with a drug redeployment strategy, researchers in the School of Biosciences have developed and trialled new interventions for two blood cell cancers, Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) and Burkitt's Lymphoma (BL), based on the administration of a combination of the lipid lowering drug Bezalip (Bez) and the female contraceptive Provera (MPA). As a result:

  • Definitive significant outcomes have been demonstrated in terms of halting disease progression and / or diminishing disease load in patients suffering from AML and BL.
  • Successful drug redeployment, on the basis of efficacy, absence of toxicity and low cost of drugs has been achieved.
  • This intervention has created the means to reduce childhood mortality and improve the length and quality of life in areas of sub-Saharan Africa.

Submitting Institution

University of Birmingham

Unit of Assessment

Biological Sciences

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Clinical Sciences, Oncology and Carcinogenesis, Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences

A new process for producing biologically active growth factors: commercial uses for stem cell applications

Summary of the impact

Stem cells play an important role in drug discovery and development of therapeutic interventions. Differentiation (and maintenance) of stem cells into specialised cells is achieved by controlled application of specific, expensive growth factors.

Dr Hyvönen has developed an efficient method for producing highly purified, bioactive human growth factors from E.coli, reducing costs by up to 10-FOLD. tHE TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN LICENSED TO A major international manufacturer of growth factors (PeproTech Inc.), and to a UK-based specialist stem cell company (CellGS Ltd), enabling them to implement new products and business strategies. Through a departmental facility, material is also being sold to external companies and Cambridge Stem Cell Consortium members. In addition, Dr Hyvönen has made his expertise available to biotech companies through consultancy.

Submitting Institution

University of Cambridge

Unit of Assessment

Biological Sciences

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Biological Sciences: Biochemistry and Cell Biology

15: Opening up the opportunities for stem cell therapies for neurodegenerative diseases

Summary of the impact

Neural stem cells offer enormous therapeutic potential for stroke but they require regulatory approval. Researchers at King's College London (KCL) devised a technology to immortalise stem cells, generated clinical-grade neural stem cell lines and demonstrated efficacy in an animal model of stroke. KCL research underpins the first approvals in the UK for a therapeutic stem cell product. This led to an industry-sponsored clinical trial of a stem cell therapeutic that has demonstrated vital improvement in all the first five stroke patients treated. KCL research has made a significant impact by considerably reducing the timetable for delivering potential therapies which will affect the life sciences industry and the process now in place acts as a model for other technology developments in this area.

Submitting Institution

King's College London

Unit of Assessment

Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Biological Sciences: Biochemistry and Cell Biology
Technology: Medical Biotechnology
Medical and Health Sciences: Neurosciences

The Development of Stem Cells for Regenerative Medicine

Summary of the impact

Research on stem cells has led to an explosion of interest in the field of regenerative medicine, with the potential for new clinical interventions and treatments. Pioneering research in Sheffield led to the founding of a spin-out company, Axordia, in 2001, focussed on the applications of human embryonic stem cells (hESC) in medicine. Several hESC lines (including SHEF-1) were generated in Sheffield by Axordia, which was sold to Intercytex in 2008 for £1.68M. These Sheffield-derived hESC lines were then sold on to a major pharmaceutical company, Pfizer, for £0.75M in 2009. As a result, a clinical grade derivative of SHEF-1 has been developed and approved for clinical trials for treating age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In addition, Sheffield research has led to the licensing and sales of key hESC marker antibodies for stem-cell quality control. Finally, Sheffield researchers have informed emerging regulatory guidelines about the safety of hESC regenerative medicine applications by authoring reports and providing evidence to a Parliamentary committee. The case study has significant impact on commerce, health and welfare and public policy.

Submitting Institution

University of Sheffield

Unit of Assessment

Biological Sciences

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Biological Sciences: Biochemistry and Cell Biology
Technology: Medical Biotechnology

Translating research into novel immunotherapies delivers scientific and economic gains for the pharmaceutical/biotechnology sector in drug discovery

Summary of the impact

Research into novel immunotherapies has given rise to a novel drug (EtxB), which is now in Phase II clinical trials, and to a profitable contract research company partnering with the pharmaceutical industry to develop their compounds. Trident Pharmaceuticals was formed around patents filed by the University of Bristol, has received investment of [text removed for publication], successfully completed Phase I trials (2011) and is in the midst of Phase IIa trials in humans with inflammatory disease (2013). KWS BioTest arose as a result of the underpinning research and experience gained from developing EtxB, and is now a leading contract research organisation working with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies developing novel treatments for human disease. KWS has directly contributed to the development of therapies at more than 75 different companies, employs 28 people, has exported [text removed for publication] and was 2012 winner of a Biomedical iNet Award for outstanding business achievement.

Submitting Institution

University of Bristol

Unit of Assessment

Clinical Medicine

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Immunology

Transforming the treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemia

Summary of the impact

Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) is a rare blood cancer, with around 560 new cases diagnosed in the UK each year. Research conducted by Professor Tessa Holyoake's team at the University of Glasgow has led drug development and stimulated clinical trials of therapies targeting CML stem cells at two major pharmaceutical companies (Novartis and Bristol-Myers Squibb). The researchers are listed as co-inventors of a novel compound (LDE225) and have promoted two further therapies targeting CML stem cells (BMS-833923 and hydroxychloroquine) into clinical trials as treatments for CML. Holyoake also had a key role in establishing the Paul O'Gorman Leukaemia Research Centre in May 2008, funded by more than 1,800 charitable donations totalling around £2.6 million and giving patients unprecedented access to the latest clinical trials.

Submitting Institution

University of Glasgow

Unit of Assessment

Clinical Medicine

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Cardiorespiratory Medicine and Haematology, Immunology, Oncology and Carcinogenesis

BioVex: UCL spin-out company develops viral cancer therapy to phase III trial and is sold for $1bn

Summary of the impact

UCL spin-out company BioVex was launched in 1999 to exploit research undertaken by David Latchman at the UCL Medical Molecular Biology Unit, Department of Biochemistry. (This department is now part of the Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, UCL/Birkbeck and Latchman is now Master of Birkbeck.) Biovex worked to develop inactivated herpes simplex viruses as therapies, and a promising dual-action oncolytic vaccine for solid tumours, OncoVEXGM-CSF, was taken into successful Phase II trials. In 2011 the company was bought out by Amgen for $1 billion — still the largest ever cash sale of a UK biotech — and Amgen has now taken this virus into a Phase III trial with promising initial results.

Submitting Institutions

University College London,Birkbeck College

Unit of Assessment

Biological Sciences

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Immunology, Medical Microbiology

Therapeutic application of skeletal stem cells for patient benefit

Summary of the impact

Seven patients with avascular necrosis of the femoral head and bone cysts have been treated successfully with skeletal stem cell therapy, developed by Southampton researchers, resulting in an improved quality of life. This unique multi-disciplinary approach linking nano-bioengineering and stem cell research could revolutionise treatment for the 4,000 patients requiring surgery each year in the UK and reduce a huge financial burden on the NHS. The work has been granted three patents and the team are in discussions on development of the next generation of orthopaedic implants with industry.

Submitting Institution

University of Southampton

Unit of Assessment

Clinical Medicine

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Biological Sciences: Biochemistry and Cell Biology
Engineering: Biomedical Engineering
Medical and Health Sciences: Clinical Sciences

SOC02 - Emerging biomedical technologies: shaping practices and influencing policy

Summary of the impact

Professor Andrew Webster's sociological research on developments in biomedical science has been impactful in shaping regulatory practice and influencing policy in relation to biobanking, stem cell research and regenerative medicine. In particular, his research has been used to: change donation procedures to the UK Biobank; influence regulatory decisions made by the UK Stem Cell Bank Steering Committee (UKSCBSC); contribute to regulatory practices associated with clinical trial design and adoption, and inform the UK government's investment strategy in regenerative medicine.

Submitting Institution

University of York

Unit of Assessment

Sociology

Summary Impact Type

Societal

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services

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