Almac-Queen's Cancer Expert to Lead £4.4m Collaboration
An investment of £4.4m ($7m) in a unique academic-business collaboration between Almac and Queen’s University, Belfast (QUB) will help develop better tests for diagnosing and treating prostate, ovarian, and breast cancer.
The research initiative, based at the Center for Cancer Research and Cell Biology at Queen’s, will be led by Professor Richard Kennedy, one of Almac’s experts in personalized medicine—which tailors specific treatment to each cancer patient.
Invest Northern Ireland and The McClay Foundation, the charitable trust established by the late Sir Allen McClay, are partnering to fund the lab facilities and staff costs. Invest NI has offered the Almac Group and QUB £1.5 million ($2.39 million) of support towards the collaboration, which includes part funding from the European Regional Development Fund.
Professor Kennedy, the newly appointed McClay Chair of Experimental Cancer Medicine at Queen’s University—a joint appointment with Almac—said the project was an excellent example of how business and academia could work together in the fight against cancer, the leading cause of death in Western civilizations.
He explained: “The research will involve using technology developed by Almac which will allow us to analyze large numbers of patient tumours collected by Queen’s. We will develop these tests to help clinicians to better understand prostate, ovarian, and breast cancer and prescribe the appropriate treatments tailored to the specific patient. We hope this will then improve the chances of cure using chemotherapy and radiotherapy."
Behind the Buzz: Why Clinical Research Leaders Flock to SCOPE Summit
February 7th 2025In this episode, we meet with Micah Lieberman, Executive Conference Director for SCOPE Summit (Summit for Clinical Ops Executives) at Cambridge Innovation Institute. We will dive deep into the critical role of collaboration within the clinical research ecosystem. How do we bring together diverse stakeholders—sponsors, CROs, clinical trial tech innovators, suppliers, patients, sites, advocacy organizations, investors, and non-profits—to share best practices in trial design, program planning, innovation, and clinical operations? We’ll explore why it’s vital for thought leaders to step beyond their own organizations and learn from others, exchanging ideas that drive advancements in clinical research. Additionally, we’ll discuss the pivotal role of scientific conferences like SCOPE Summit in fostering these essential connections and collaborations, helping shape the future of clinical trials. Join us as we uncover how collective wisdom and cross-industry partnerships are transforming the landscape of clinical research.
Phase III Trial Data Show Subcutaneous Pembrolizumab as Noninferior to IV Keytruda
March 31st 2025Subcutaneous administration of pembrolizumab with chemotherapy demonstrated a nearly 50% reduction in patient chair and treatment room time while maintaining efficacy and safety endpoints compared to intravenous Keytruda.
Reaching Diverse Patient Populations With Personalized Treatment Methods
January 20th 2025Daejin Abidoye, head of solid tumors, oncology development, AbbVie, discusses a number of topics around diversity in clinical research including industry’s greatest challenges in reaching diverse patient populations, personalized treatment methods, recruitment strategies, and more.
