With 14 new and active members, promising clinical trials, important partnership deals and broad media-exposure, members continued their excellent work committed to improving the lives of cancer patients by accelerating the development of new cancer diagnostics and treatments.

Best Norwegian Biotech Agreement
Norwegian cancer research is of high international quality and standard, but commercialisation of this research into new cancer treatments and diagnostics has not always been as successful. However, in September Oslo Cancer Cluster member company Algeta ASA, showed the immense potential of the Norwegian biotech industry by signing a deal with Bayer that Norwegian analysts have named “the best ever deal in Norwegian biotech.” Estimated to be worth $800 million, the deal secures further development of Algeta’s lead compound Alpharadin for the treatment of bone metastases and disseminated tumor types.

Stock Winners and promising news
Picture – Biocentury reported that Clavis and Algeta were two of the best performing biotech stocks of the year.
The agreement made Algeta the year’s winner on the Oslo Stock Exchange with an 781% increase in stock value, closely followed by another Oslo Cancer Cluster member Clavis Pharma ASA with 565%. Clavis Pharma’s increase was due to a partnership agreement with the American company Clovis Oncology worth up to $380 million. The agreement secures the further development of a drug candidate against pancreatic cancer.

And if that wasn’t enough, Oslo Cancer Cluster member DiaGenic ASA was selected as “Most Innovative Company” by The Norwegian Research Council and 1000 business leaders for their development of a blood based breast cancer test. Two other companies, Lytix Biopharma AS and PCI Biotech®, also both entered Phase I clinical trials for their lead products for treating cancer.
Furthermore, Photocure ASA received a positive indication from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that the new drug application for their innovative diagnostic for detection of non-invasive bladder cancer may be approved. Photocure expects the pending issues to be agreed with FDA by Q2 2010.
2009 also brought good news for members MSD and Oslo University Hospital. MSD selected Oslo University Hospital as a member of their worldwide Onconet network of comprehensive cancer centres. Onconet has been established to ease collaboration between phase 1 facilities, and speed-up innovation in oncology. MSD will use Oslo University Hospital as their lead Scandinavian site for their phase 1 studies in oncology. 

ECCP 2010
International partnerships are vital in order to support OCC member companies in commercialisation and in the search for investors/partners. Along with Cancer-Bio-Santè in Toulouse, Oslo Cancer Cluster organised the first European Cancer Cluster Partnering (ECCP) meeting in September 2009, in Toulouse, France. The ECCP meeting will be repeated in Oslo from 15th-17th of September 2010. For more information www.eccp2010.com.
 
Preclinical and clinical network in oncology
Oslo Cancer Cluster supports its members with access to an international preclinical and clinical network in oncology. Oslo Cancer Cluster collaborates with the leading cluster in Toulouse, France, and is broadening its network towards other European centres such as Heidelberg in Germany, Lund in Sweden and Copenhagen in Denmark. Now it will also cooperate with The Hamner Institutes in Research Triangle Park in North Carolina. After board approval, Oslo Cancer Cluster recently signed an agreement with The Hamner Institutes. The Hamner plays an active role in linking together translational research programs in oncology with the University of North-Carolina, Duke University, North Carolina State University and Wake Forest University.
The Hamner will offer OCC member companies guidance and assistance in preclinical and clinical development in the US. The Hamner is organised as an independent non-profit institution.
Recently the Hamner signed an agreement with China Medical City for international drug development. The China Medical City is a new life science park of approximately 20 square kilometres that is entirely dedicated to biotech, pharmaceutical, and medical innovation located in the Yangtze River Delta north of Shanghai, and with 150.000 employees. Members in Oslo Cancer Cluster will get access to the facilities in China Medical City through the agreement with The Hamner.

World Economic Forum
Through his selection by the World Economic Forum as one of 200 Young Global Leaders in 2009, OCC CEO Bjarte Reve has been able to market Oslo Cancer Cluster internationally to various leaders in business, media and politics. He has also and start an initiative along with the UK charity AfrOx, to push forward for better cancer treatment in Africa.

Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park moves forward
The development of the Innovation Park next door to the Institute of Cancer Research and the Cancer Clinic is progressing, and the Innovation Park will be voted upon in Oslo City Council in September/October 2010. If successful, the Innovation Park will physically integrate Ullern high school, the Cancer Registry, clinical trials facility, biotech and biopharma companies.
Looking forward, CEO Bjarte Reve hopes for similar success in 2010 through strengthening links throughout Europe, the US and China, and hosting the second ECCP in Oslo in September. More at www.oslocancercluster.org