AstraZeneca and Cancer Research UK to develop new drug

AstraZeneca has allied with Cancer Research UK in order to collaboratively develop a potentially groundbreaking new cancer treatment.

In partnership with the charity's development and commercialisation arm Cancer Research Technology, the company will progress the investigational compound AZD-3965 to the clinical trial stage.

This experimental treatment aims to impair cancer cells' ability to generate energy by targeting the monocarboxylate transporter 1, with the organisations hoping this can be used to combat a wide range of cancers.

Under the terms of the alliance, Cancer Research UK will fund and manage the phase I/IIa development of the treatment, giving AstraZeneca the option of continuing to progress the drug further based on the results.

Les Hughes, global vice-president of cancer research at AstraZeneca, said: "We look forward to this collaboration adding a new dimension to AstraZeneca's pipeline, which contains a number of promising candidates already in development."

Earlier this month, AstraZeneca was granted approval by the European Commission for its Seroquel extended release tablets to be used as an add-on treatment among patients with major depressive disorder.