CRUK has 30 years’ specialist experience in the commercialisation of cancer research and a proven track record of successful innovation.
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History

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2002: Cancer Research Technology (CRT) is formed Open
CRT is formed by combining the strengths and employees of its predecessor technology transfer companies, Cancer Research Campaign Technology (CRCT), Cancer Research Ventures (CRV) and Imperial Cancer Research Technology (ICRT).
2005: CRT Discovery Laboratories (CRT-DL) scale-up operations Open
CRT Discovery Laboratories (CRT-DL) move from Dominion House, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital to The Wolfson Institute of Biomedical Research at UCL. The move facilitates a scale-up of operations later in the year as the number of projects bought into the laboratories increase.
2006: CRT Inc. and Clinical Development Partnerships (CDP) established Open
CRT Inc. is established as our US subsidiary, based in Boston. Dr Larry Steranka is appointed as Managing Director. The Clinical Development Partnerships (CDP) is launched by CRT and Cancer Research UK to bring new life to promising therapies that have been de-prioritised by pharma and biotech companies.
2008: Cancer Therapeutics CRC Pty Ltd (CTx) commences operations Open
Cancer Therapeutics CRC (CTx) – our discovery alliance in Australia – commences operations as one of the largest public/private partnerships of its type in the world. A dedicated cancer drug discovery and development company, CTx works closely with leading Australian researchers and institutes to identify, protect and develop small molecule discoveries.
2009: Sales of Temozolomide reach $1 billion Open
Sales of Temozolomide (Temodal®), an anti-cancer drug developed by Cancer Research UK scientists and licensed to Schering-Plough through CRT, reach $1 billion. It is the first line treatment for the most common type of adult brain tumour.
2010: CRT enters major industry alliance with AstraZeneca Open
CRT enters into a major multi-project alliance with AstraZeneca to create ‘cancer metabolism’ drugs. This is quickly followed by the announcement of a partnership with Cephalon to collaborate on the development of small molecule inhibitors.
2012: CRT and The EIF unveil innovative £50M cancer fund Open
CRT and the European Investment Fund (EIF) join together to create a £50M investment fund to bridge the funding gap in the UK between cancer drug discovery and early development. The CRT Pioneer Fund takes potential cancer drugs from discovery through to entry to Phase II clinical trials. It is a bold step to fund the most innovative oncology research and to plug a large gap in the UK funding of drug discovery.
2012: CRT completes two major deals with Astex Pharmaceuticals Open
CRT, Astex Pharmaceuticals and The Institute of Cancer Research initiate a collaboration to discover and develop drug candidates targeting an undisclosed epigenetic target. The following month, CRT signs a major five-year strategic drug discovery alliance with Astex and Newcastle University to discover and develop new cancer drugs in collaboration with researchers at the Northern Institute for Cancer Research (NICR).
Read the ICR press release
Read the Newcastle University press release
2013: FORMA Therapeutics and CRT announce bold research initiative Open
FORMA Therapeutics and CRT announce a bold research initiative to discover innovative tools, technologies and therapeutic drug candidates against a variety of protein homeostasis regulators called, deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs).
2017: Creation of CRUK Commercial Partnerships team Open
Cancer Research UK and its subsidiary Cancer Research Technology Ltd, bring together their research funding, strategy and commercialisation activities in a new, integrated division known as Research and Innovation. The new Cancer Research UK Commercial Partnerships team, a component of the Research and Innovation division, develops promising ideas into successful cancer therapeutics, vaccines, diagnostics and enabling technologies
- 2002: Cancer Research Technology (CRT) is formed
- 2005: CRT Discovery Laboratories (CRT-DL) scale-up operations
- 2006: CRT Inc. and Clinical Development Partnerships (CDP) established
- 2008: Cancer Therapeutics CRC Pty Ltd (CTx) commences operations
- 2009: Sales of Temozolomide reach $1 billion
- 2010: CRT enters major industry alliance with AstraZeneca
- 2012: CRT and The EIF unveil innovative £50M cancer fund
- 2012: CRT completes two major deals with Astex Pharmaceuticals
- 2013: FORMA Therapeutics and CRT announce bold research initiative
- 2017: Creation of CRUK Commercial Partnerships team
CRT is formed by combining the strengths and employees of its predecessor technology transfer companies, Cancer Research Campaign Technology (CRCT), Cancer Research Ventures (CRV) and Imperial Cancer Research Technology (ICRT).
CRT Discovery Laboratories (CRT-DL) move from Dominion House, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital to The Wolfson Institute of Biomedical Research at UCL. The move facilitates a scale-up of operations later in the year as the number of projects bought into the laboratories increase.
CRT Inc. is established as our US subsidiary, based in Boston. Dr Larry Steranka is appointed as Managing Director. The Clinical Development Partnerships (CDP) is launched by CRT and Cancer Research UK to bring new life to promising therapies that have been de-prioritised by pharma and biotech companies.
Cancer Therapeutics CRC (CTx) – our discovery alliance in Australia – commences operations as one of the largest public/private partnerships of its type in the world. A dedicated cancer drug discovery and development company, CTx works closely with leading Australian researchers and institutes to identify, protect and develop small molecule discoveries.
Sales of Temozolomide (Temodal®), an anti-cancer drug developed by Cancer Research UK scientists and licensed to Schering-Plough through CRT, reach $1 billion. It is the first line treatment for the most common type of adult brain tumour.
CRT enters into a major multi-project alliance with AstraZeneca to create ‘cancer metabolism’ drugs. This is quickly followed by the announcement of a partnership with Cephalon to collaborate on the development of small molecule inhibitors.
CRT and the European Investment Fund (EIF) join together to create a £50M investment fund to bridge the funding gap in the UK between cancer drug discovery and early development. The CRT Pioneer Fund takes potential cancer drugs from discovery through to entry to Phase II clinical trials. It is a bold step to fund the most innovative oncology research and to plug a large gap in the UK funding of drug discovery.
CRT, Astex Pharmaceuticals and The Institute of Cancer Research initiate a collaboration to discover and develop drug candidates targeting an undisclosed epigenetic target. The following month, CRT signs a major five-year strategic drug discovery alliance with Astex and Newcastle University to discover and develop new cancer drugs in collaboration with researchers at the Northern Institute for Cancer Research (NICR).
Read the ICR press release
Read the Newcastle University press releaseFORMA Therapeutics and CRT announce a bold research initiative to discover innovative tools, technologies and therapeutic drug candidates against a variety of protein homeostasis regulators called, deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs).
Cancer Research UK and its subsidiary Cancer Research Technology Ltd, bring together their research funding, strategy and commercialisation activities in a new, integrated division known as Research and Innovation. The new Cancer Research UK Commercial Partnerships team, a component of the Research and Innovation division, develops promising ideas into successful cancer therapeutics, vaccines, diagnostics and enabling technologies