Vortex expands research at London Cancer Hub’s Innovation Gateway

The Cancer Hub aims to create a world-leading ecosystem for cancer research

Vortex Biosciences has expanded its liquid biopsy research at the London Cancer Hub’s Innovation Gateway to support its next phase of growth.

The announcement follows Vortex’s recent opening of a new laboratory at the London Cancer Hub’s Innovation Gateway in March earlier this year.

Vortex is currently developing a platform designed to use circulating tumour cells (CTCs) to inform personalised therapy development, guide therapy and monitor cancer using “no touch” microfluidic technology to capture intact, label-free and pure CTCs from blood with high yields.

By analysing these CTCs using downstream workflows, researchers can characterise them to provide access to critical insights from whole cancer cells, which underpin one of the key causes of metastasis, treatment resistance and disease recurrence.

Additionally, Vortex is building a CTC sample-to-answer service proposition for biopharma companies to help develop biomarker-driven personalised medicine, guide therapy decisions and monitor cancer.

Since joining the London Cancer Hub, Vortex has worked alongside existing Innovation Gateway tenants, including Vesynta, Curesponse and the Exercise Clinic.

The London Cancer Hub aims to create the world’s leading ecosystem for cancer research, treatment and commercial enterprise.

Jon Wilkinson, director of business and innovation at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), said: “We’re very pleased to see Vortex Biosciences increasing [its] footprint at the Innovation Gateway.”

“We’ve been delighted with our decision to open our new CTC Centre of Excellence at the London Cancer Hub earlier this year,” said Paul Jones, chief executive officer of Vortex.

“With access to a high-quality talent pool and connection to large-scale research and clinical systems, we believe our presence here will accelerate the translation of our technology into everyday clinical practice,” he added.

Other developments at the London Cancer Hub site include the ICR’s new £75m Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery at the Harris Academy in Sutton, Maggie’s Cancer Support Centre at the Royal Marsden, and the Royal Marsden’s Oak Cancer Centre.