Similar case studies

REF impact found 32 Case Studies

Currently displayed text from case study:

MCMs: improving the early detection of common cancers

Summary of the impact

An antibody screening test for early detection of cancer was developed in the laboratories of Prof Ron Laskey (Zoology) and Prof Nick Coleman (Pathology). Patent applications arising from their research were filed by Cancer Research Technology (CRT) and licensed to multiple diagnostic companies, including Becton Dickinson (BD). The BD ProExTM C reagent is in use internationally, including for the triage of cervical smears and biopsies showing `borderline' abnormalities (~2-6% of cervical smears in developed countries). Additional licensing deals have been negotiated for screening in a range of other cancers, including bladder, pancreas and prostate. The licences have generated in excess of £800K for CRT and the University to date.

Submitting Institution

University of Cambridge

Unit of Assessment

Biological Sciences

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Clinical Sciences, Oncology and Carcinogenesis

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

Development and commercial exploitation of a novel diagnostic for early detection of lung cancers

Summary of the impact

Research directed by Professor John Robertson at The University of Nottingham led to the launch, in 2009, of the world's first autoantibody blood test for the detection of early-stage lung cancer. The EarlyCDT-Lung test has been commercialised through the spin-out company Oncimmune. [text removed for publication]. EarlyCDT-Lung is now used clinically in North and South America, the UK and the Middle East, generating revenue and saving lives.

Submitting Institution

University of Nottingham

Unit of Assessment

Clinical Medicine

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Cardiorespiratory Medicine and Haematology, Oncology and Carcinogenesis, Public Health and Health Services

Saving lives through faecal occult blood screening for bowel cancer

Summary of the impact

The Nottingham Bowel Cancer Screening trial showed that biennial Faecal Occult Blood testing reduced bowel cancer mortality by 16%. As a consequence of this trial, the Department of Health launched two screening pilots and introduced a National Bowel Cancer Screening Programme (NBCSP), achieving national coverage in 2010. Since 2008, this has sent out almost 18 million invitations and detected 16,000 bowel cancers, of which 21.6% were early cancers with a 95% chance of cure. It is estimated that the NBCSP saves around 3,500 lives each year in the UK. International screening programmes modelled on the UK system will save many more.

Submitting Institution

University of Nottingham

Unit of Assessment

Clinical Medicine

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Oncology and Carcinogenesis, Public Health and Health Services

Use of aspirin and high dietary fibre to prevent and reduce deaths from bowel and other cancers, influencing global policy on cancer prevention and major public health campaigns (‘five-a-day’)

Summary of the impact

Thousands of people across the world with a genetic predisposition (HNPCC) to bowel cancer, together with the population at large, have benefited from research on aspirin and dietary fibre undertaken at the University of Bristol since 1993. Clinical trials involving the Bristol group show that the incidence of bowel cancer has fallen in HNPCC patients who take aspirin. Moreover, aspirin use after diagnosis of bowel cancer has reduced colorectal cancer mortality. Furthermore, a high fibre diet also lowers the risk of bowel cancer. These studies led to national public health initiatives (such as the `five-a-day' campaign) that have been instrumental in increasing public awareness of the importance of aspirin and dietary fibre in reducing the risk of bowel cancer, and in establishing international guidelines on dietary advice.

Submitting Institution

University of Bristol

Unit of Assessment

Clinical Medicine

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Oncology and Carcinogenesis

Development of conditionally immortalised cell lines as novel cell models of disease and for cell transplantation

Summary of the impact

Research by Professor Parmjit Jat (first at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, then part of UCL; later at the UCL Institute of Neurology) established and applied the critically important scientific concept of conditional immortalisation to a wide variety of cell lines, enabling cells to be grown indefinitely in vitro but differentiate upon altering the growth conditions. Two companies were established in partnership with Jat to exploit this research, ReNeuron (now worth £63.5m and publicly traded on the London AIM market) and XCellSyz (now part of Lonza AG). More than 20 patents based on Professor Jat's work have been issued. Reagents based on his research have been evaluated, licensed and used by 17 companies worldwide: Amgen, Amylin, Boehringer Mannheim, Cell Genesys, Chiron, Eli Lilly, Genentech Inc., Genetics Institute, Immunex, Johnson & Johnson, Medarex, Novartis, Ortho Pharm., Pfizer Inc., Regeneron, ReNeuron, Takeda, EMD Serono, and XCellSyZ/Cambrex Bioscience/Lonza.

Submitting Institution

University College London

Unit of Assessment

Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Biological Sciences: Biochemistry and Cell Biology
Medical and Health Sciences: Oncology and Carcinogenesis

Development of an anti-hCGß cancer vaccine for the treatment of bladder cancer and other hCG/hCGß secreting tumours.

Summary of the impact

Our research has underpinned the work of Celldex Therapeutics and other US based companies, in developing a vaccine directed against hCGβ for the adjuvant treatment of epithelial cancer. A number of Phase I trials indicated an improvement in survival of vaccinated patients and Phase II trials began for bladder cancer where early data showed promise by improving the survival time. This has had a significant impact on these patients, and has the potential to extend the life of many millions of cancer sufferers (around 32% frequency of hCGβ secretion by carcinomas). Our research input has helped prove the technology and further trials are awaiting finance.

Submitting Institution

Middlesex University

Unit of Assessment

Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Immunology, Oncology and Carcinogenesis

Lung cancer research at UCL/UCLH sets standards of care

Summary of the impact

UCL has conducted a series of national lung cancer trials, which have led to wide-scale changes in clinical practice. Two trials compared different platinum based therapies, which led to centres switching from using chemotherapy with cisplatin to carboplatin-based chemotherapy instead. Carboplatin can be given as an outpatient, and has fewer side effects, and has been (and still is) recommended as an alternative to cisplatin in the UK and US.

Submitting Institution

University College London

Unit of Assessment

Clinical Medicine

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Oncology and Carcinogenesis

Scancell - a successful cancer immunotherapy company

Summary of the impact

The University of Nottingham spin out company Scancell Holdings plc is developing novel immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer. By licensing products (£6million) and listing and raising money (£4million) on the stock exchange, it has provided an excellent return for investors. In 2012, in response to good clinical trial results, Scancell's shares showed the greatest percentage increase (10fold) on London's AIM stock exchange, reaching a market capitalisation of £98million. This has encouraged further investment (£6.5million) which is in line with the Government's plan to promote the Biotechnology Industry. As the products progress to market it will save further lives and continue to increase in value providing further profit for investors.

Submitting Institution

University of Nottingham

Unit of Assessment

Clinical Medicine

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Immunology, Oncology and Carcinogenesis

The Prostate Core Mitomic Test: a commercial diagnostic to improve the efficiency of prostate cancer diagnosis

Summary of the impact

A novel test for prostate cancer was developed from research in mitochondrial genetics conducted at Newcastle University. The Prostate Core Mitomic Test was the first of its kind and is now commercially available in North America. It provides molecular evidence to confirm conventional pathology results showing that men identified as being at risk of prostate cancer are, at the time of examination, free of disease. This is an important patient benefit, as conventional pathology has a 30% chance of missing prostate cancer. The Mitomic test obviates the short-term need for a follow-up biopsy, which is an invasive and very uncomfortable procedure. It is also capable of identifying some men at high risk of having prostate cancer that conventional pathology would miss. The test was introduced to the American market in June 2011 and has generated a multi-million dollar investment and turnover.

Submitting Institution

Newcastle University

Unit of Assessment

Biological Sciences

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Biological Sciences: Genetics
Medical and Health Sciences: Oncology and Carcinogenesis

Filter Impact Case Studies

Download Impact Case Studies