Cancer patients in Leicester have access to early phase oncology and haematology clinical trials through the Hope Cancer Trials Centre which is a dedicated cancer specific clinical area. It is the only such unit in the Midlands and attracts referrals from far afield. The Centre’s partnership with the Leicester NIHR Clinical Research Facility has generated and sustained a critical mass of infrastructure providing the capability to perform all phases of studies including first in human. Leicester has an exceptional track record exemplified by the number of companies that use us as preferred partners and over the last 5-years we have worked with 64 companies in 46 disease areas. Leicester is one of the most ethnically diverse areas in England and Wales and studies are ongoing to explore clinical trial engagement among underserved groups, including ethnic minorities, to ensure equity of access for all cancer patients.
Unique Selling Points
Detection of cancer and recurrence through circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA).
In Leicester, Professor Jacqui Shaw’s lab is internationally recognised as leaders in this field. The group has demonstrated a patient-specific ctDNA method to detect preclinical metastasis up to 3-years ahead of clinical relapse that allows for longitudinal monitoring of patients with breast cancer regardless of molecular sub-type.
Therapeutic Prevention
Leicester is one of the leading cancer centres in the world renowned for work in cancer prevention with focus on the discovery, preclinical development and clinical evaluation of therapies for the prevention of cancer. This includes investigating repurposed drugs and natural compounds such as resveratrol and curcumin. Building on our long track-record of developing therapies for cancer prevention, our main activity over the next quinquennium will centre on our CRUK-funded COLO-PREVENT platform for evaluating the efficacy of colorectal cancer preventive therapies
Personalising mesothelioma treatment
Leicester is the UK’s leading national referral centre for systemic therapy and has consistently played a leading role in national and global randomised trials. Translational research in mesothelioma is concerned with deciphering molecular and cellular determinants of therapeutic response. In the CRUK CONFIRM phase 3 trial, we were the first to show that immunotherapy (nivolumab) confers a significant clinical benefit for patients with mesothelioma, resulting in a change in clinical practice. The now completed, Leicester-led, MiST trial was the world’s first personalised therapy umbrella trial which aims to accelerate the identification of effective stratified therapy for mesothelioma.
Preclinical models enabling drug and biomarker discovery
Professor Catrin Pritchard’s lab has pioneered an innovative patient-derived explant platform that contextually conserves human tumour architecture for drug discovery and biomarker validation. The Explant Facility is run by Dr Gareth Miles and has numerous industry collaborators.
Personalised treatment in B cell malignancies
Leicester has led on global first in man/early phase clinical trials. One of our main areas of clinical expertise is in delivering trials testing bispecific antibodies. Translational work in Professor Martin Dyer’s and Dr Harriet Walter’s group focusses on the study of intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms of resistance and exceptional responders, along with dynamic risk prediction using cfDNA/ctDNA, all aligned to our extensive early phase portfolio.
Our patient population
University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust is one of the busiest Cancer Centres in the UK; Q2 2018-2019 8680 patients were diagnosed. Through the South East Midlands Oncology Centre, UHL serves a population of 3 million.
Organisations affliated with the Leicester ECMC:
Our location
We are located in the East Midlands conveniently situated for road and rails links being 4 miles from the M1/M69 junction and 10 minutes on foot from Leicester train station. For international travel, Leicester ECMC is 22 miles from East Midlands Airport
Contact the Centre Manager:
Stephanie Moutrey
