What We Offer
Demonstrator Projects
Through Demonstrator Projects, we test and validate the innovated Oncode Accelerator infrastructure while simultaneously aiming to increase the technology readiness level of promising leads - to ultimately benefit patients. We invite national and international cancer researchers, from across academia and industry to work with us for preclinical development of promising targets by applying for a Demonstrator Project.
Accelerating the development of cancer therapies
We feel there is a problem with the current way of developing new cancer therapies. Generally speaking, therapy development starts with ‘the’ patient. However, this patient is often defined based on the average, most prominent symptoms. For a significant subset of patients, therapies based on these generic characteristics are ineffective, due to the inherent heterogeneity of the patient population. Therefore, we need better preclinical models based on a more personalized approach to developing cancer therapies.
To create better models, we should take the inherent heterogeneity of the patient population into account from the start. By doing that, we can create patient-specific preclinical models, which use should ultimately result in the development of better clinical candidates.
Our infrastructure is built on three so-called innovation Platforms, each uniquely equipped to address the challenges of preclinical development, either alone or in synergy.
Patient Cohorts
We are building well-defined Patient Cohorts for specific cancer types. These patients have provided a universal informed consent for both data use and biologic material stored in biobanks. We can use real-world, real-time clinical data from the Electronic Health Record (EHR), as well as generate additional data for these patients, such as whole genome sequencing (WGS) and RNA transcriptomics data. Various tumor tissues will be used to create biobanks, and we can request to draw blood from these patients to be included in the biobank as well. The patients are available for intervention studies and will be followed during their clinical journey.
Organoids
An organoid is an artificially grown miniature organ that are true-to-life representations of patient samples. These models can be used to screen promising therapy candidates and to identify patient populations that are most likely to benefit from therapy. The Oncode Accelerator Organoids Platform encompass a wide variety of patient-specific tumor models using tissue from the well-defined Patient Cohorts Platform biobanks, as well as from existing repositories of patient tissue materials and previously generated organoid models. It is our aim to also develop new organoid models.
Artificial Intelligence
To identify and optimize therapies, to predict their efficacy, and to identify potential patients or patient populations for studies, we will use state-of-the-art artificial intelligence. It will be used to analyze the data generated in the other innovation Platforms, as well as to analyze existing data provided by the applicant.
Building the Infrastructure to Accelerate Development
To make optimal use of our preclinical development infrastructure, we built four preclinical development pipelines, so called Workstreams, representing the development of the four most prominent types of cancer therapies. These Workstreams are:
We believe the combination of our Workstreams and Platforms creates a synergistic effect resulting in better therapies, tailored to individual patients or patient subgroups.
Demonstrating our Added Value
Our vision for such an improved preclinical development process needs to be validated. Therefore, Oncode Accelerator has a budget available to fund, together with partners, the execution of preclinical development projects called Demonstrator Projects. These are preclinical discovery-development projects executed within one of the innovated workstreams, and aimed at ultimately delivering clinical candidates which are ready to enter the clinical phase. Demonstrator Projects are aimed at validating at least one integrated innovation from one of the Platforms, i.e. Patient Cohorts, Organoids, or Artificial Intelligence.
Key to the success of the Oncode Accelerator program will be the selection of high-quality Demonstrator Projects which are able to both validate the Oncode Accelerator infrastructure while simultaneously addressing unmet medical needs. Therefore, we are welcoming partners to work with us, to turn your assets into de-risked clinical candidates.
Our call for Demonstrator Project applications is open
The Oncode Accelerator program provides co-funding for Demonstrator Projects that use the innovated Oncode Accelerator infrastructure. Demonstrator Projects serve two main goals:
- To test and validate the innovated Oncode Accelerator infrastructure
- To develop clinical candidates that can ultimately provide new therapeutic solutions for cancer patients
An independent Demonstrator Advisory Board plays a central role in both the assessment of initial Demonstrator Project proposals as well as in evaluating the Demonstrator Project outcomes.
Through the Demonstrator Projects, Oncode Accelerator has the opportunity to test and demonstrate the value of the three innovation Platforms within the preclinical development processes of the Workstreams. Therefore, Demonstrator Projects should use the technologies, models and/or methods of at least one of the innovation Platforms.
Demonstrator Projects are aimed at delivering de-risked clinical candidates, which have been found safe and effective in preclinical and early clinical studies. Furthermore, once completed and further progressed, they address a medical need in a well-defined patient population.
Workstream Development Stages
The four Oncode Accelerator Workstreams are each organized in clearly defined development stages. Within these development stages, opportunities for the integration of the innovation Platforms have been identified. Each Workstream, in collaboration with the innovation Platforms, is establishing its own infrastructure validation strategies.
The combined infrastructure validation strategies of the four Workstreams form the Demonstrator Projects Roadmap. This will ensure that within the given resources and time, the full innovated infrastructure will be validated as much as possible and will form an important source of information in the decision-making process of the Demonstrator Advisory Board.
Stage-Gate Setup
The setup of the Workstreams in clearly defined development stages allows for a modular approach regarding the entry points into the development pipelines of Workstreams for Demonstrator Projects. For example, at the earliest possible entry point of a pipeline in case of an early development project (e.g., a validated target), or potentially at later development stages for more mature development projects (e.g., a lead candidate). The minimum starting point of a Demonstrator Project is a validated target or a validated hit (TRL2). If budget permits and the clinical candidate is developed in an earlier demonstrator project, assessment in a first-in-human trial (max 12 patients; TRL6) could be considered as a supplementary Demonstrator project. Additionally, an early Health Technology Assessment on the asset is required.
A Demonstrator Project includes one stage of the product type stage-gate preclinical discovery-development process, such as Lead Discovery, Lead Optimization, Preclinical Development, or Clinical Candidate Nomination/First in Human Studies.
Importantly, the design also enables the Demonstrator Advisory Board to evaluate the progression of Demonstrator Projects upon completion of the development stage based on pre-defined KPIs and go/no-go criteria.
Our Workstream Stages
Click each stage to learn more about the available services that can be applied within a Demonstrator Project.
Get in touch
If you are looking for more information or if you have an idea that you believe can be applied in a Demonstrator Project, we encourage you to get in touch with our Business Developers. They are actively seeking ideas for Demonstrator Projects and are eager to collaborate with you to bring your concepts to life.