1 February 2007
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| Professor Bill Charman |
The discovery of new drugs for the treatment of cancer has received a major boost with a new project funded by the Federal Government and industry groups. The CRC for Cancer Therapeutics will receive almost $38 million from the Commonwealth CRC scheme to enable a vital drug discovery program.
The CRC will link several of Australia's leading cancer research organisations including the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI), Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute and St Vincent's Research Institute, with internationally recognised pharmaceutical scientists and medicinal chemists from Monash University's Victorian College of Pharmacy, Griffith University, CSIRO and WEHI.
Industrial partners include Bionomics and successful British cancer technology company CRT which has a proven track record in taking anti-cancer drugs to market.
"The CRC for Cancer Therapeutics will make further enhance Australia's position as a significant international player in anti-cancer drug discovery and it will provide a means to capitalise on the tremendous advances made in understanding the biology of cancer by Australian and international scientists," college Dean Professor Bill Charman said.
"The CRC brings together pharmaceutical scientists and medicinal chemists from Monash University's Victorian College of Pharmacy with the leading cancer research organisations in Australia, and these groups will be linked with UK cancer drug discovery and development through the technology transfer company CRT."
Professor Dick Fox, Chairman-elect of CRC-CT and a medical oncologist said: "With cancer killing more Australians than any other single cause there is an urgent need for more effective therapies. Australia invests over $150 million each year in cancer research and the creation of CRC-CT provides a catalyst for translation into new therapies through bringing together immense knowledge, expertise, and resources to realise the therapeutic potential in the outstanding research being carried out at Australian research institutes."
The CRC for Cancer Therapeutics will involve several academic staff and will provide continuing funding for up to 10 researchers who will be based at the Victorian College of Pharmacy in Parkville. Monash scientists, including Professors Bill Charman, Colin Pouton, Susan Charman, Peter Scammells and their colleagues, will be core members of the CRC drug design teams.
For more information please contact: Steve Pogonowski, Media Communications on 9905 1253, or Professor Bill Charman, Dean, Victorian College of Pharmacy on 9903 9504.
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