Cluster Cancer drugs

KWF believes that each patient deserves the treatment (s)he needs. While researchers have extensive knowledge of research, they don't always have the tools to translate research results from bench to bedside. We aim to equip researchers with the tools they need to translate their knowledge.

Tracks

(pre) clinical drug development

Currently, medicines which show clinical results, almost always depend on the pharmaceutical industry to bring them through all stages of development. This dependence on commercial parties is risky: promising drugs may not reach the patient because profitable margins are too small or because consensus about the price cannot be reached. 

Drug development consists of several stages and takes 10-15 years. Phase 2 and 3 trials are costly and are almost always conducted by the pharmaceutical industry. KWF wants more academically developed drugs to reach the final stages of development in a societally responsible manner free of commercial interests. KWF wants to support the so-called academic-driven pharma trajectory in which drugs will be completely developed within academia, free of any commercial interests.

In 2023, KWF joined forces with international partners in the international theme call ATTRACT, with a focus on drug development for rare cancers. In this call, 4 projects were awarded. More information here.
 

Drug repurposing

Drug repurposing enables existing medications to be used for a wider variety of cancers than originally indicated. In this track we aim to fund research into new indications of existing drugs as well as improving the way in which these drugs reach the patient. Some examples of repurposing include the following 

• Application of (a combination of) existing drugs for new indications 
• Use of drugs whose development was halted in the development trajectory . 
• Applications of drugs for which the patent has expired.
• Off-label use of drugs, monitoring treatment results and side effects.