Search:

CCDD flowers IMG_2263

Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery

The Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, is the largest academic cancer drug discovery and development group worldwide. Its research groups cover every aspect of new drug discovery and development, from cell and molecular biology through to chemical synthesis of new agents and their evaluation in clinical trials.

The Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery is based in a state-of-the-art £75m building on our Sutton campus, opened in 2020.

Join us and discover new cancer drugs

The ICR is making a significant investment in the Division of Cancer Therapeutics – which encompasses the Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery – with the recruitment of new senior Faculty in the Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery, the Centre for Protein Degradation and the Centre for Target Validation.

Current senior CCDD vacancies

Our mission

The mission of the Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery is:

To discover and develop effective therapeutics for the treatment of cancer.
Exploit the addictions, dependencies and vulnerabilities of cancer cells to develop innovative small molecule drugs.
Prioritise novelty and unmet clinical need in defined patient populations.

Our record of achievement

Since 2005, research teams now based in the Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery have:

Discovered 21 clinical candidates
13 of which have entered clinical trials.

The ICR's researchers also discovered abiraterone, which was approved by NICE in 2012, and is widely used to treat advanced prostate cancer across the world.

See our therapeutic pipeline

Groups and Group Leaders making up the Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery

Director

Group: Target Evaluation and Molecular Therapeutics

Group: Cancer Pharmacology and Stress Response

Dr Olivia Rossanese

Group: Clinical Pharmacology & Trials (including Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics Group)

Group: Clinical Pharmacology Adaptive Therapy Group

Group: Clinical Pharmacodynamics Biomarker Group

Professor Udai Banerji

Group: Medicinal Chemistry 1

Dr Gurdip Bhalay

Group: RNA Biology and Molecular Therapeutics

Group: Medicinal Chemistry 4 (including Structural Chemistry)

Group: Medicinal Chemistry 2

Professor Swen Hoelder

Group: Hit Discovery and Structural Design

Dr Rob Van Montfort

Group: Medicinal Chemistry 3

Group: Computational Biology and Chemogenomics

Group: Signal Transduction and Molecular Pharmacology

Professor Paul Workman

Latest news and discoveries

Professor Peter Garland

Remembering former ICR Chief Executive Professor Peter Garland

11/03/25

The ICR reflects on the legacy of Professor Peter Garland CBE, who served as Chief Executive from 1989 to 1999 and died on 5 March.

A picture of Professor Paul Workman standing in a garden

The ICR’s Professor Paul Workman elected Fellow of the American Association of Cancer Research Academy

10/03/25

The Institute of Cancer Research, London, is delighted to announce that Professor Paul Workman has been elected as a Fellow of The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Academy.

Outside view of the Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery entrance

New research might make an ‘undruggable’ target druggable – leading to new cancer drugs

28/02/25

Drug discovery researchers have made significant progress towards targeting a protein that is seen as a promising anticancer target but has, until now, been considered undruggable.

Metastatic breast cancer cells in pleural fluid

Powerful new therapy doubles progression-free survival in advanced breast cancer

30/10/24

A three-drug combination for aggressive advanced breast cancer doubles the length of time before the cancer progresses, compared with a drug combination currently available on the NHS, new research has shown.

See all news and discoveries