Cancer patients are set to receive, for the first time, a highly innovative investigational drug called NXP800 – which was discovered at The Institute of Cancer Research, London.

Polypharmacology – the ability of a drug to affect more than one protein – should be studied early in the drug discovery pathway, and constantly monitored as the chemical structure is optimised in the design of the clinical candidate, leading researchers believe.

The number of scientists able to access labs dropped by almost 30 per cent when the latest coronavirus lockdown was announced, according to new data released by the ICR. Some 28% are therefore resorting to working in unsociable hours to keep their research going. The ICR is calling for financial support to avert a two-year delay in cancer research advances reaching patients.