The Strategic Importance of a Non-Disclosure Agreement in Collaborating with the ECMC Network

The ECMC Network consists of world leading researchers, scientists and clinicians who drive the discovery, development and testing of new treatments to combat cancer. The interactions between the ECMC Programme Office (PO) and industry have facilitated early feasibility discussions with Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) and enabled commercial sponsors to identify clinical trial sites to develop the breakthrough cancer drugs of the future.

A key enabler of fostering collaborative relationships between the ECMC network and industry is the execution of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) by utilising the ECMC NDA template. Such agreements are essential in allowing innovative concepts and strategic insights to be shared amongst the network and industry without concern of misuse. The NDA process has allowed for open communication and collaborative engagement between the ECMC Network and industry partners to drive innovation within early phase oncology.

An analysis was carried out using data from the ECMC Programme Office's industry engagement tracking system to evaluate metrics concerning the total number of Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) executed by the ECMC PO and to compare the number of opportunities received before and after NDA execution. The goal of this analysis was to demonstrate how the execution of NDAs can affect engagement levels and improve partnerships between the network and industry stakeholders.

NDA Execution:

Opportunities Pre- and Post-NDA Execution:

• Opportunities submitted to the ECMC PO pre-NDA execution: 65 (from companies with currently active NDAs)

• Opportunities submitted to the ECMC PO post-NDA execution: 183

The number of research opportunities submitted to the ECMC PO by industry partners has risen by 182% when an active NDA is in place, highlighting the crucial role these agreements play in fostering collaboration and kickstarting the discovery of breakthrough cancer therapies.

Next steps

Recognising the need to actively maintain and grow relationships, the ECMC Programme Office is dedicated to strengthening strategic dialogues with industry partners. In pursuit of this goal, the PO is adapting its business development strategy to enhance engagement and better align with industry needs and priorities.

Conclusion

The collaboration established through the ECMC master NDA has significantly increased industry clinical research capabilities in the UK and improved patient access to treatments. It has also highlighted the critical role of an NDA in enabling early communication between the network and industry partners, helping to pave the way for the development of tomorrow’s cancer treatments and improved treatment options for UK patients.

We invite our industry partners to actively engage with the ECMC Programme Office as we refine our business development strategy. Your insights and feedback are invaluable in shaping our collaboration. We encourage you to explore opportunities for joint projects, early-phase trials, and innovation through the ECMC master NDA framework. Together, we can continue driving forward the development of cutting-edge cancer treatments and improving outcomes for UK patients. Let’s strengthen our partnership and make a lasting impact on the future of oncology research.

Please contact ecmcadmin@cancer.org.uk