GSK launches global consortium with six renowned cancer research centres

Issued: London UK and Philadelphia, PA

• Oncology Clinical and Translational Consortium (OCTC) to include centres in US, Canada, France, the Netherlands and Spain
• Projects to focus on oncology clinical trials including combination therapies, as well as translational research

GlaxoSmithKline plc [LSE/NYSE: GSK] announced today the formation of the Oncology Clinical and Translational Consortium (OCTC), a collaborative scientific research network comprised of six internationally renowned comprehensive cancer centres.  The centres include Gustave Roussy (Villejuif, France), University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (Houston, US), Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (New York, US), Netherlands Cancer Institute (Amsterdam, the Netherlands), Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network (Toronto, Canada) and Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology - VHIO (Barcelona, Spain).  The creation of the consortium underscores GSK’s commitment to developing innovative patient therapies through rational combination and collaboration with external partners to access, cultivate, and stimulate scientific innovation. 

In forming the consortium, GSK will gain OCTC’s expertise in preclinical, translational and clinical development of novel anticancer therapeutics including kinase inhibitors, epigenome modulating compounds and immunotherapies, which are key areas of focus of GSK’s cancer research drug discovery. The centres will have access to studies with GSK’s early stage oncology pipeline and opportunities to advance the next generation of novel oncology therapeutics.  OCTC will foster scientific collaboration among the members and GSK.

Consortium members were selected for their international leadership and expertise in oncology research.  Members will collaborate on processes to ensure the highest quality standards for collection of biological samples, as well as conduct of biomarker and clinical research. 

“Each OCTC member institution is recognised internationally as a leader in clinical and translational research,” said Rafael Amado, Head Oncology R&D at GlaxoSmithKline.  “The consortium together with GSK will design and execute research programs in a focused and expeditious way, allowing us to potentially develop new diagnostic tools and medicines to better treat cancer patients.”

Projects driven through the OCTC will include Phase I/II single agent and novel combination trials with GSK’s targeted and immune therapies as well as translational and preclinical studies.

GSK – one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies – is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer.  For further information please visit www.gsk.com.