The Basque companies Faes Farma and Pharmakine take part in Oncologica, an economic interest group derived from the CENIT programme supported by Ministry of Science and Innovation. Some other companies like GP Pharm, Pharmamar, Cellerix, Geadic Biotech, NeoCodex and Genómica, together with around twenty research and technology centres, are also involved in this initiative.

The consortium’s target for the next three years is the development of new drugs against cancer, with special emphasis on breast and pancreatic cancer, and the upgrading of existing drug administration systems. Members will develop a comprehensive and vertical cancer research from diagnosis to treatment stages, considering the diagnosis-prognosis pairing and the selective treatment as key elements.

The project’s overall budget accounts for 17.44 million euro, provided in equal shares by the Ministry and the associated companies. The companies expect that this kind of research results in a greater efficiency and less side effects than conventional treatments. For the Basque members, the pharmaceutical industry Faes Farma and the biotech company Pharmakine, the consortium strengthens their corresponding therapeutics and diagnosis development tasks.