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.

Other important benefits for MSK Therapeutics Accelerator participants include 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.

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: Can 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: This 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 Cell Therapy and Cell Engineering Core:  As one of the first cancer centers worldwide to treat patients with cell therapies, this 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. 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 1,580+ interventional research studies ongoing, as of December 2023. To date, MSK has conducted more than 25 clinical trials involving MSK developed cell therapies.  With an outstanding record in clinical trial operations and administration, institutional resources include extensive teams with expertise in oncology patient care, clinical research operations and compliance, and clinical trials nursing, finance, and contracting.
• 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.

Inquiry and Selection Process

Eileen Flowers, PhD
Director, Technology Development & Licensing
Office of Technology Development
MSK
Contact: flowerse@mskcc.org