The collaboration will look at how cancer develops in humans and research to target the vulnerabilities of precancerous cells.
Multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company GSK has signed a three-year £50 million cancer vaccine research collaboration with the University of Oxford.
The GSK-Oxford Cancer Immuno-Prevention Programme will conduct translational research, exploring precancer biology to generate key insights on how cancer develops in humans that could inform new approaches to cancer vaccination.
Most cancers take years or even decades to develop from normal cells to precancerous cells (or precancer) to cancer. Oxford University has world-leading expertise in the study of precancer biology including the identification and sequencing of neoantigens, or tumour-specific proteins that prompt the immune system to recognise cancer.
This focus could help target the vulnerabilities of precancerous cells through an active intervention like a vaccine or targeted medicine to prevent them from progressing to cancer.
“We’re pleased to further strengthen our relationship with Oxford University and to combine the deep knowledge of Oxford and GSK scientists,” said Tony Wood, chief scientific officer at GSK.
The new collaboration builds on GSK’s relationship with the university.
It signed a five-year £30 million partnership with Oxford’s Institute of Molecular and Computational Medicine in December 2021 to evaluate new approaches to genetics.
The firm also signed a similar five-year £50 million deal with the University of Cambridge at the end of October last year to accelerate research and development into kidney and respiratory-related immune-related diseases.
