Therapeutic Development Program (TDP) The scientific goal of the Therapeutic Development Program (TDP) of the University of Arizona Cancer Center (UACC) is to develop strategies that can be used to expand available therapeutic options and / or lead to enhanced efficacy of existing therapeutics. The Program leverages internal basic research expertise in the study of molecular pathways that mediate cancer growth, including specialized capabilities in target discovery, molecular modeling, and chemical synthesis with analogue development, refinement of novel molecule-based therapeutics, and extensive analysis of predictive biomarkers. Program activities are organized under three major themes: 1) Chemically synthesize and biologically characterize novel anti-cancer agents, 2) Elucidate unique biologic targets for new chemotherapy agents, and 3) Translate laboratory findings into clinical trials. In the past 6 years, the Program has initiated and participated in 36 interventional trials. Currently, 19 interventional investigator-initiated trials (IITs) are open and recruiting patients at the UACC. The capabilities of the TDP have been expanded greatly by the recent expansion of the UACC-affiliated clinical facilities, the strategic recruitment of 13 clinicians and researchers, and its inclusive training and mentoring environment. The TDP Members lead and participate in the UACC Disease-Oriented Teams, which have promoted collaborations within TDP and with the three other UACC Research Programs. The Members focus on targets and precision medicine approaches of potential relevance to clinical cancer applications with an emphasis on the cancer burden in the catchment area, including skin, breast, lymphoma, and gastrointestinal cancers. TDP Members have published 547 cancer-relevant manuscripts, of which 19% are intra-programmatic and 24% inter-programmatic. The significance of the Program is indicated by publication in very high impact journals (4 NEJM, 3 Nature, 1 Nature Genetics, 4 PNAS, 2 Lancet, 4 Lancet Oncology, and 1 J Invest Dermatol); its entry of 3 new first-in-the-field drugs into Phase II studies and commercial development; and its introduction of several new diagnostic/prognostic technologies into national validation trials, one of which is now marketed. Currently, the Program has 53 Members representing 19 different departments. As of September 1, 2015, the TDP Program secured $8.3M in total annual grant dollars with $2.6M of that from the NCI and $4.2M in other peer-reviewed funding.
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