April 3, 2025, ONTARIO – The Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR) has announced its support for five Ontario research teams working to develop the next generation of medicines that kill tumours more effectively, cause fewer side effects and reduce the risk that cancer will come back.
The projects will be funded as part of OICR’s Cancer Therapeutics Innovation Pipeline (CTIP) awards, which provides research teams with up to $300,000 over two years to help advance promising drug discovery research so that new cancer drugs can more quickly and safely reach patients.
“Ontario has become a global leader in developing a new generation of cancer drugs, and OICR is proud to help made-in-Ontario innovations reach their full potential,” says Dr. Lincoln Stein, Acting Scientific Director of OICR. “These five projects are on the cutting edge of cancer drug discovery and are well-positioned to make a major difference in the lives of cancer patients.”
CTIP applications are reviewed by a committee of experts from academia and industry, who also provide scientific and strategic advice to the funded research teams.
The five new CTIP research teams span the province from Thunder Bay to Toronto. They are taking innovative approaches to treating cancer by harnessing new insights about cancer biology to help stop cancer from spreading, reduce unwanted side effects and overcome treatment resistance.
This year’s CTIP recipients include:
These exciting studies join the growing portfolio of projects enabled by OICR’s Therapeutic Innovation Research Theme. OICR hosts one of the largest drug discovery programs of its kind in Canada and supports drug discovery projects at other institutions across the province.
“Ontario is proud to be globally recognized as a leader in cancer treatment, a disease where early intervention is critical,” said Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security. “Our government’s support of the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research and its Cancer Therapeutics Innovation Pipeline will ensure Ontario researchers continue to make ground-breaking discoveries so residents afflicted by cancer can receive the cutting-edge treatment they need to live longer, healthier lives."
CTIP is currently inviting applications for Early Validation, Early Accelerator and Late Accelerator projects.
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OICR is funded by the Government of Ontario. As the province’s cancer research institute, we take on the biggest challenges in cancer research and deliver real-world solutions to find cancer earlier and treat it more effectively. We are committed to helping people living with cancer, as well as future generations, live longer and healthier lives. For more information visit http://www.oicr.on.ca.
The views expressed are those of OICR and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Province of Ontario.