🗞️ Press & Events
- Drug Development: German Cancer Aid Funds Two Projects at Goethe University and University Hospital
The German Cancer Aid is now supporting two cancer research projects with around €16 million, in which promising drug candidates undergo preclinical testing to prepare for clinical approval studies. The University Hospitals of Frankfurt and Würzburg are leading the “CAR Factory” project, which focuses on using genetically engineered immune cells to fight tumors. In the TACTIC project, coordinated by Goethe University, small molecules are being developed to help reset disrupted genetic switches in cancer cells.👉 [Read more] - Cancer Research with TACTIC: Searching for the Right Switches
With €11.8 million in funding until 2028, the German Cancer Aid (DKH) is supporting a promising joint project in which researchers from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE) play a key role.TACTIC aims to more precisely target the genetic causes of cancer with innovative drugs.Led by Prof. Dr. Christian Reinhardt (UDE), Prof. Dr. Stefan Knapp (Goethe University Frankfurt), and Prof. Dr. Daniel Rauh (TU Dortmund), the project brings together experts in chemical biology, drug discovery, and oncology. A national oncology drug research center is being established to support the project’s goals.👉 [Read more] - “TACTIC”: Developing Cancer Drugs at Universities
Frankfurt am Main – Our genes serve as blueprints for proteins, each performing specific functions in our cells. These processes are controlled by transcription factors.In cancer cells, this regulation is often disrupted. Many transcription factors have now been linked to cancer development.Through its new funding program for “Preclinical Drug Development”, the German Cancer Aid is supporting the large-scale TACTIC project.This nationwide research network is developing drugs that interact directly with dysregulated transcription factors in tumors, aiming to restore cancer cells to their normal state.
- TACTIC Against Cancer – German Cancer Aid Supports Research Network
The German Cancer Aid is funding the TACTIC research network for five years with a total of €11.8 million.The goal: discovery and advancement of novel therapeutic compounds up to preclinical trials.🔗 Research institutions such as IfADo are also part of this nationwide effort.👉 [Read more] - €20 Million for the Development of New Cancer Therapies
From the lab to the patient’s bedside – before a new cancer drug can be used in treatment, it must undergo a series of preclinical tests to ensure safety and effectiveness.Because these studies are time- and cost-intensive, research into drugs for rare or hard-to-treat cancers is often not commercially attractive for pharmaceutical companies. The German Cancer Aid aims to close this gap.At the 36th German Cancer Congress 2024, it is presenting its new focus program “Preclinical Drug Development”, through which three major projects – including TACTIC – will receive a total of €20 million over five years.
👉 [Read more] - TACTIC – Oncogenic Transcription as a Target for New Cancer Therapies
Cancer arises from genetic and epigenetic changes, which lead to dysregulated transcription programs. Key elements include gene expression control mechanisms, the basic transcription machinery, and mRNA processing – all offering a range of therapeutic targets. Another promising avenue: targeting tumor-specific transcription mechanisms. However, most oncogenic transcription factors are difficult to inhibit directly with small molecules. TACTIC aims to change that through innovative, tailored drug development strategies.
👉 [Read more]