Cancer Research Technology, a British cancer charity, is to fund clinical trials of a drug owned by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), in a groundbreaking programme to develop promising experimental medicines that are neglected due to limited corporate funding.

The charity will shortly begin tests in patients of GSK's 1070916A an aurora kinase inhibitor. If the drug is successfully launched it will retain a share of the profits.

"GSK has got a large number of molecules in its pipeline and many merit investogation. But it can's take them all into the clinic at the same time — so a numner end up sitting on the shelf," remarked Cancer Research's licensing manager, Ian Walker.

The charity will fund early and mid-stage testing in humans before offering GSk the opportunity to finance the more expensive late-stage clinical trials. If GSK decline, it may offer the rights to another company instead.

Terms of the agreement have not been disclosed.

www.gsk.com
www.cancertechnology.co.uk