Among academic-research institutions, MSK is a leader in creating and developing innovation with impact. To date, the FDA has approved 13 therapeutics involving MSK inventions—and our institution has meaningfully contributed to the clinical development of many more.

For our industry partners, this accelerator program provides streamlined access to MSK facilities and infrastructure, as well as the opportunity to collaborate with our leading clinical and scientific experts through all stages of drug development through regulatory approval.

MSK Therapeutics Accelerator provides participants committed liaison support and enhanced predictability of contract timelines. As part of this program, each participating company will have a dedicated liaison, who will serve as the primary point of contact—managing the existing project while providing concierge support to streamline and accelerate the process.  This will facilitate additional engagement and work with other groups at MSK if/when such services are requested.

Other important benefits for Therapeutics Accelerator participants include committed marketing support and access to MSK’s IND writing and advising group. Furthermore, formal partnership can enable streamlined contract negotiating and allow for accelerated activation of associated clinical trials at MSK. 

Learn more about how the MSK Therapeutics Accelerator program helps pharmaceutical and biotech companies accelerate drug development

MSK Therapeutics Accelerator connects MSK’s industry partners with valuable institutional resources including potential access to our 33 state-of-the art core facilities which provide services and technology to support research. Our cores provide the highest quality of scientific technology and research support services in rapid turnaround time, while operating in a cost-effective manner. Each of the MSK core facilities is operated by research experts in the technologies and services offered.

Depending upon the nature of the project, MSK Therapeutics Accelerator program participants may utilize Core services such as: 

• MSK Organic Synthesis Core Facility: Perform medicinal chemistry and compound optimization to generate Phase 1 enabling small molecule compounds. Expertise available but not limited to developing complex carbohydrates, precursors to radioisotope labeled PET agents, cold labeling strategies, nanomaterials, antibody conjugation, and structure-activity relationship (SAR) analysis.
• MSK Antitumor Assessment Core: Routinely performs PK/PD studies and Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) toxicology studies. It also evaluates therapeutics in in vivo disease models in support of IND applications.  MSK’s centralized patient-derived xenograft (PDX) library offers access to a curated selection of PDX models developed from hospital samples; these are accompanied with clinical, histology, and genomic annotation to inform clinical development.
• MSK Gene Editing and Screening Core: Offers extensive capabilities in RNA interference, CRISPR-Cas9 mediated gene editing, genetic perturbation screening services and cell line generation. It also supports early drug discovery with a high-content and high-throughput siRNA and chemical compound screening facility, offering cell viability, biochemical and cell imaging assays.
• MSK Cell Therapy and Cell Engineering Core:  Routinely performs genetic engineering/transduction of patient cells, produces clinical grade vector, performs molecular analysis of gene transfer efficiency/transgene expression in patient cells, and conducts quality control of clinical reagents and patient cells. As one of the first cancer centers worldwide to treat patients with cell therapies, MSK has a proven ability to operationalize new cell therapies quickly and efficiently.
• MSK Clinical Grade Production Core: Specializes in the manufacturing of therapeutics for early-stage clinical trials. This Core supports IND applications for small molecules, monoclonal antibodies, biologics, vitamins, and other therapeutics. Routinely performs monoclonal antibody purification, chelation of therapeutic antibodies for radiochemical labeling, and vialing/lyophilization of therapeutics. It also assists with enhancing the solubility of active pharmaceutical ingredients.
• MSK Research Pharmacy Core: Assists in the manufacturing, packaging, distribution, and monitoring of clinical-stage therapeutics—most significantly, at advantageous price points. This Core includes MSK’s Pharmaceutical Product Facility, which performs formulations, stability assessment, and packaging of drug products, as well as the MSK Investigational Drug Service, which conducts drug distribution, monitoring, and protocol coordination.
• MSK Product Development unit: Expert team able to plan, guide, and support IND application filings and IND-enabling studies. The unit, which includes dedicated staff with significant expertise communicating with the FDA on novel therapeutics, can provide guidance on IND applications (ex: design of PK, safety, pharmacology, and toxicology studies) as well as CMC sections (ex: formulation development, process development/GMP manufacturing) for first-in-human trials.
• MSK Clinical Trials: MSK is a leader in cancer-related clinical trials, with an outstanding record in clinical trial operations and administration and extensive teams with expertise in oncology patient care, clinical research operations and compliance, and clinical trials nursing, finance, and contracting. The Therapeutics Accelerator connects companies with clinical experts to advise on protocol design and pursue development within MSK’s specialized care setting.
• Access to Consented, De-Identified Clinical Data and Samples from extensive and invaluable sources that include longitudinal clinical outcomes and genomic data, including microbiome data, and the MSK Biobank.

Memorial Sloan Kettering’s Therapeutics Accelerator is launching a new cohort program for Summer 2025, with applications opening May 1st. Applications are open until Wednesday, May 28th, here: Therapeutics Accelerator Cohort Application.

Note: To access our application, please create an external applicant account first.

This program will select a cohort of companies driving innovation in targeted therapy, to be matched with MSK faculty according to their scientific and clinical needs. Selected companies will benefit from one-on-one mentorship with a faculty sponsor and structured introductions to MSK’s translational and clinical facilities. This collaborative program aims to define a concrete workplan for co-developing a participant’s therapeutic(s) at MSK, and the opportunity to transition into formal participation in the Therapeutics Accelerator.

For our 2025 cohort, MSK is seeking biotech companies aiming to meaningfully co-develop targeted therapies to benefit people with cancer. For more information on the Therapeutics Accelerator program or the Summer 2025 cohort applications, reach out to Jonathan Dow, dowj@mskcc.org.

Wondering if the MSK Therapeutics Accelerator Program would be a good fit for your company’s therapeutics development focus? Reach out to Jonathan Dow, PhD, Senior Program Manager, to discuss potential areas for collaboration with MSK’s expert professionals.

In addition, the Therapeutics Accelerator is launching a new cohort model designed to define possible collaborations with participants, through tailored faculty mentorship and introductions to the range of translational and clinical resources at MSK. If this structured curriculum is of interest, we welcome program applications, which will be open in May 2025.

For more information about the MSK Therapeutics Accelerator or to apply, reach out to Jonathan Dow , PhD, Senior Program Manager, at dowj@mskcc.org.