The Dutch National Growth Fund invests 325 million euros in accelerating the development of cancer drugs

The Dutch National Growth Fund, a 20 billion investment fund, invests 325 million euros in the Oncode-PACT consortium to accelerate the preclinical development process of cancer drugs. With this investment, Oncode-PACT will develop valuable drug candidates faster and cheaper and thus bring them to patients sooner. This will improve the quality of life of cancer patients while strengthening the future economic earning capacity of the Netherlands.

“The Oncode-PACT consortium is a unique collaboration where researchers, oncologists, knowledge institutes, and the business community work together to develop better and affordable cancer medicines more quickly,” says Aram Krol, CEO of Euretos. “We are delighted to have been invited to support the consortium and offer the integration of our target discovery and indication selection capabilities in the Oncode-PACT infrastructure”

Alain Kummer, Managing Director Oncode Institute and Chairman of Oncode-PACT, explains: “Oncode-PACT places the patient at the center of the entire drug development chain. In the current situation, the preclinical development process is still insufficiently connected with the clinical practice, and we focus on the patient too late in the drug development process. By deploying patient data and tissues from patients early in the development process – for example, organoid technology and artificial intelligence – it is possible to assess whether a potential drug could be effective and safe much earlier in the process than is currently possible, and with greater certainty.”

This way, Oncode-PACT brings the patient into the lab. This reduces the chance that drug candidates drop out during late-stage clinical studies. With the approach envisioned by Oncode-PACT, it will be clearer before the start of clinical research, in which patient group the greatest effectiveness can be expected and under which circumstances. This makes it possible to approach the important phase of clinical research in a more targeted and faster way.

About Oncode-PACT

Oncode-PACT is a unique national consortium of public and private partners, in which Oncode Institute is the lead party. Within Oncode-PACT, researchers, oncologists, knowledge institutes, and the business community work together to develop better and more affordable cancer medicines more quickly. There is close coordination with the Ministry of EZK (applicant) and the Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Sport. In addition to the planned own investment by the Oncode-PACT partners, a contribution has been requested from the National Growth Fund to be able to realize the national plan. See also www.oncode.nl/pact 

About the National Growth Fund

With the National Growth Fund, the government will invest 20 billion euros between 2021 and 2025 in projects that ensure long-term structural and sustainable economic growth. It concerns projects in the field of research, development, and innovation in the areas where the Netherlands has the most opportunities

All submitted projects are carefully assessed by an independent committee against specific criteria. In the event of a positive recommendation from the committee, the cabinet decides whether the money will be allocated immediately or whether the money will be reserved for a project. In the case of a reservation, a better substantiation will be requested, after which the project will be reassessed by the committee.

More information about the National Growth Fund and the investment proposals for projects can be found at www.nationaalgroeifonds.nl.