Connecting expertise to paediatric drug development

As the paediatric oncology pipeline continues to evolve, our Experimental cancer medicine centres (ECMC) programme office is playing an increasingly important role by connecting industry partners with expertise, infrastructure and clinical research capabilities.

So far in 2026, our programme office has supported six paediatric company engagement opportunities, spanning first-in-human studies, immunotherapies, antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) and targeted therapies across solid tumours, brain tumours and haematological malignancies. Through our company engagement process, delivered in partnership with the Innovative Therapies for Children with Cancer (ITCC) consortium, we have helped sponsors efficiently explore opportunities for UK participation in early-phase research. This relationship with ITCC further enables key collaborations across Europe.

A key strength of this approach is access to the ECMC Clinical Trial Advisory Group. This unique forum brings together leading experts from across the network to provide strategic advice on clinical need, study feasibility, patient populations and trial delivery. For industry partners, this offers valuable insight that can help inform development plans and connect sponsors with the most relevant expertise across the UK.

This year's review identified a range of opportunities that highlight important and much-needed innovation in paediatric cancer research. These include:

• novel ADCs targeting emerging biomarkers in sarcomas and other solid tumours,

• next-generation immunotherapy combinations designed to improve outcomes for children with high-grade brain tumours,

• innovative targeted therapies for relapsed and refractory blood cancers

Several programmes are exploring mechanisms and targets that have generated significant interest within the paediatric oncology community, reflecting growing momentum in precision medicine and biomarker-led development.

Importantly, the programme office provides more than a route to identify potential sites. It acts as a coordinated point of access to the ECMC and ITCC communities, helping sponsors engage with the right experts at the right time while giving investigators early visibility of promising new opportunities. This coordinated national approach reduces duplication, accelerates engagement and helps position the UK as an attractive destination for innovative paediatric clinical research.

Looking ahead, we hope demand for this service will continue to grow as more companies develop advanced therapeutics, immunotherapies and precision medicines for children and young people with cancer. By combining national coordination, expert clinical input through the ECMC Clinical Trial Advisory Group and strong partnerships with industry, our programme office is helping ensure that promising new treatments can be assessed efficiently and brought closer to the patients who need them most.