News

Accelerating the development of next-generation cancer therapies through collaboration and innovation. That is the mission of Oncode Accelerator. During the Oncode Accelerator Summit on December 4th, Attivare Therapeutics, a spin-out from the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, announced it has joined the program to launch a new Demonstrator Project. The project will integrate Organ-on-a-Chip technology with Attivare's novel therapeutic vaccine platform to develop more effective treatments for hard-to-treat cancers.

How do you turn cutting-edge science into therapies that change patients’ lives? That question was at the heart of the second  Oncode Accelerator Summit, where over 300 researchers, entrepreneurs, clinicians, patient advocates and industry leaders gathered for an afternoon devoted to one theme:  From Innovation to Impact.

Acht initiatieven die worden gefinancierd vanuit het Nationaal Groeifonds bundelen hun krachten om innovatie in Life Sciences & Health te versnellen en duurzame economische groei te stimuleren, met een focus op maatschappelijke impact in Nederland. Op 2 december hebben vertegenwoordigers van Biotech Booster, Health-RI, HOLOmicrobiome, NXTGEN Hightech, Ombion, Oncode Accelerator, PharmaNL en RegMed XB officieel een ‘memorandum of understanding’ (MOU) ondertekend om de samenwerking tussen hun programma’s te versterken.

Developing a new cancer therapy is a complex undertaking. To bring a novel drug to the clinic, top-notch research is essential – but is not enough on its own. Developing and launching a new therapy also requires sufficient funding, an entrepreneurial mindset, and perseverance. In this article, we dive into a story that is still unfolding, with research that began in academia and is now under development towards becoming a new treatment for neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer. We spoke to both the scientists behind the research – Professor Jeanette Leusen and Dr. Mitchell Evers of UMC Utrecht – as well as Rik Leunis of Villa Joep, a funder that made it possible.

“I’ve been involved in oncology for almost my entire adult life,” says Mark Krul, Chief Scientific Officer of Oncode Accelerator Foundation. “And I’ve seen so much promising oncology research – but too often it is not translated to patients. I find that unethical.”  This strongly held conviction has guided Mark’s career.

On October 14th 2025, the 25,000th colorectal cancer patient consented to participate in the Dutch Prospective National Colorectal Cancer Cohort (Prospectief Landelijk CRC cohort, PLCRC). This important milestone took place at Nij Smellinghe, one of the hospitals participating in the cohort.

Validation Study Confirms Reliability of Datagateway for Fast and Scalable Data Delivery to the Netherlands Cancer Registry

Utrecht, The Dutch National Growth Fund has issued a positive recommendation for a second funding round of €123 million for the Oncode Accelerator program, which was confirmed by the Dutch Cabinet today. This recognition confirms confidence in the program’s approach and impact, which focuses on accelerating and innovating the development of new cancer therapies.

On May 20th and 21st 2025, the Oncode Accelerator Annual Event brought together over 150 scientists, clinicians, and industry partners from across our Program for two energetic days of knowledge‑sharing and community‑building.

In oncology, progress is faster and more effective when we work together. National and international partnerships, between public and private parties, are essential for translating fundamental scientific discoveries into clinical practice. With the signing of a memorandum of understanding last December, Oncode Institute and Cancer Research Horizons welcomed us, Oncode Accelerator, as a new member in their longstanding collaboration. It further solidified our shared mission, and set us on the path to becoming a truly comprehensive partnership in the field of oncology. In this interview, Tony Hickson, Chief business officer for Cancer Research Horizons, and Jan Paul Medema, Scientific Director of Oncode Institute, discuss the key ingredients for success, the potential impact of the partnership, and the challenges the biotech sector faces in the current day.

Our aim at Oncode Accelerator is to bring clinical candidates to life, faster. Turning innovative science into effective treatments requires a thoughtful, well-coordinated approach – one that includes navigating the regulatory landscape. That’s where Evelien Minten and her team step in. As Program Manager for the Regulatory Innovation Workstream, she helps researchers understand the critical role of regulatory affairs in drug development and how it can accelerate their path to clinical trials and approvals. 

Treating cancer patients faster with experimental medicines. And making better use of existing drugs. That’s what medical oncologist and UMC Utrecht’s brand-new professor Neeltje Steeghs strives for. “Every patient should have access to the newest medicines, wherever you are treated in the Netherlands.” 

Therapeutic vaccines are a promising and innovative approach to cancer therapy. To improve and accelerate their development, experts agree that it is necessary to better understand tumor microenvironments – the neighborhoods around tumors that can either help or hinder tumor growth and spread. A new study supported by Oncode Accelerator identified features of the tumor microenvironment associated with cancer vaccine success, paving the way for improved therapies for future patients.

Starting May 2025, the Princess Máxima Center for pediatric oncology will screen the complete DNA of every newly admitted child before the start of their treatment. Whole genome sequencing will identify DNA variations that could underlie the initiation and growth of tumors. Through Oncode Accelerator Demonstrator Projects, researchers can use these insights from patients’ tumor DNA and organoids to develop new therapies to advance precision medicine for children with cancer.

UMC Utrecht spin-off company TigaTx, Inc. recently announced that the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) has awarded up to $33.5 million in funding. Separately, TigaTx was awarded a $2 million grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health. TigaTx is a biotech company that develops engineered immunoglobulin A (IgA) monoclonal antibodies for a broad range of diseases, including cancer and infectious diseases.