Dutch and German childhood cancer research institutions join forces in an unusual joint venture

The Princess Máxima Center for pediatric oncology in the Netherlands and the Hopp-KiTZ childhood cancer center in Heidelberg, Germany, have joined forces in a significant collaboration aimed at accelerating the development of tomorrow's medicine for childhood cancer. This alliance, which also includes the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the Heidelberg University Hospital (UKHD), is a European effort to combat the disease that remains the most common cause of death in children and teenagers due to disease, with more than 6,000 not surviving each year.

The collaboration, which requires a joint research budget of over €10 million for the coming years, focuses on the development of the latest combinations in the field of immune and targeted therapies for children. Alexander Eggermont, Scientific Director of the Princess Máxima Center, emphasizes the unique nature of the collaboration and its potential for new perspectives on childhood cancer. Michael Baumann, CEO of the DKFZ, acknowledges the collaboration as the culmination of many years of successful collaboration between the involved institutions in the field of pediatric oncology research.

The collaboration involves clinical studies, the expansion of infrastructures and IT platforms, and the sharing of anonymized patient data for clinical studies. Additionally, the collaboration also focuses on the establishment of patient-specific laboratory models. Stefan Pfister, one of the directors of the Hopp-KiTZ, highlights the need for significant investments and efforts along the entire innovation chain for improving treatment options for children with cancer.

The collaboration, which is part of a 'Twinning Program' with the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the Heidelberg University Hospital (UKHD), aims to accelerate developments toward better treatment options for children with cancer. One in four children with cancer does not currently survive the disease, underscoring the urgency for developing new treatments as quickly as possible.

Cancer in children is relatively rare but still causes more than 6,000 deaths per year in Europe. The collaboration between the Princess Máxima Center, the KiTZ, the DKFZ, and the UKHD is seen as a long-term alliance for curing childhood cancer. Alexander Eggermont emphasizes the potential of this collaboration to bring about significant advancements in the field of childhood oncology, offering hope for a future where more children can beat cancer.

Dutch and German childhood cancer research institutions join forces in an unusual joint venture