Galapagos and Cancer Research Technology announce new anti-cancer drug discovery collaboration

Galapagos NV and Cancer Research Technology ("CRT"), specialists in oncology drug discovery and commercialization, a wholly owned company of Cancer Research UK, announced today that they have entered into a new collaboration in anti-cancer drug discovery research.

Under the terms of the agreement Galapagos’ service division BioFocus will perform medicinal chemistry services on a series of CRT anti-cancer drug programs. In return, CRT will fund the work of four BioFocus scientists throughout 2006.

“This agreement testifies to the high quality of BioFocus’ medicinal chemistry expertise and the overall competitiveness of our integrated services portfolio,” said Onno van de Stolpe, CEO of Galapagos. “We also are pleased to assist Cancer Research Technology in the fight against cancer.”

“CRT has succeeded in forming a number of collaborative anti-cancer programs with academic and commercial partners alike,” added Tony Raynham, CRT’s Head of Medicinal Chemistry. “Our relationship with BioFocus, in conjunction with existing in-house R&D resource, will ensure that these programs are advanced rapidly through early-stage development, thereby creating robust licensing opportunities and cancer patient benefit.”

Cancer remains one of the world’s most pressing health concerns. According to Cancer Research UK, physicians estimate that one in three people will get some form of cancer at some stage in life.