C-Further

What C-Further does

C-Further is an international non-profit consortium launched in September 2024 to address the underdevelopment of therapeutics specifically designed for children and young people with cancer. The consortium is structured as a brand under Cancer Research UK and is jointly funded and operated by three core partners: Cancer Research Horizons (the innovation engine of Cancer Research UK), LifeArc, and Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity, with £37M (approximately $50M) in committed funding as of September 2025. It does not sell products or services commercially; instead it channels charitable and impact-investor funding, drug discovery capabilities, and translational expertise into selected academic and industry-led therapeutic projects aimed at pediatric oncology indications.

The consortium's platform covers discovery across multiple modalities — small molecules, antibody-based therapies, and cell therapies — drawing on capabilities inherited from its core partners, including biosciences, immune-oncology discovery, CRISPR libraries, high-throughput screening, fragment and DEL screening, structural biology, medicinal chemistry, computational chemistry, DMPK/ADME profiling, and antibody humanisation. Its first two disclosed programs are CF-012, a small molecule ETV6 inhibitor for Ewing sarcoma being advanced with University of Virginia, Dana-Farber, and Mass General Brigham, and CF-033, an allogeneic PRAME-targeting iNKT cell therapy being advanced with MiNK Therapeutics and the University of Southampton. Both programs are funded through milestone-based agreements with revenue-sharing terms.

C-Further acquires projects via a rolling expressions-of-interest process reviewed by a Scientific Advisory Board and a Joint Steering Committee, and recruits additional members from academia, biopharmaceutical companies, CROs, regulatory bodies, and the impact-investing community. Its go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, anchored by webinars, conferences (including AACR Pediatric Special Conference), and direct partnership outreach. Operationally, the consortium is managed from London, UK, with the website maintained by Cancer Research Technology Limited (trading as Cancer Research Horizons). The legal entity is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales.

Name

C-Further

Legal name

Cancer Research Technology Limited

Website

https://c-further.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Short description

C-Further is a London-based international non-profit consortium, founded in 2024, that funds and runs drug discovery for pediatric cancers. Backed by Cancer Research Horizons, LifeArc, and GOSH Charity with £37M ($50M), it advances academic and industry projects — currently CF-012 (Ewing sarcoma) and CF-033 (PRAME iNKT cell therapy) — through preclinical development.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pediatric Oncology Drug Discovery

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Services-Medical Laboratories (8071), Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)

akta.pro primary industry

Rare Oncology & Hematologic Malignancy Therapies (HLAIAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rare Pediatric & Congenital Disorder Therapies (HLAIAIAN), Oncology Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAA), Antibody Discovery & Engineering Platforms (display tech, bispecifics, Fc engineering) (HLAAAIAB)

Keywords

• Pediatric oncology drug discovery
• Childhood cancer therapeutics
• Translational research consortium
• Collaborative drug development
• Milestone-based research funding

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Charitable funding and grant funding: C-Further is funded through charitable contributions from its core partners: Cancer Research Horizons, LifeArc, and GOSH Charity. The consortium receives initial capital commitments and ongoing operational support. Additional funding comes from like-minded charities, research funders, foundations, impact investors, and philanthropists who join the consortium. Revenue is deployed to progress therapeutic discovery projects through milestone-based funding.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

C-Further is an international pediatric oncology therapeutics consortium that provides milestone-based funding, drug discovery laboratory support, and collaborative co-development resources to advance early-stage therapeutic projects for childhood cancers. Its current portfolio includes CF-012, an ETV6 small-molecule inhibitor for Ewing sarcoma, and CF-033, an allogeneic PRAME-targeting iNKT cell therapy for pediatric sarcomas, medulloblastoma, and AML. The consortium selects projects through a rolling Expressions of Interest process and progresses them toward preclinical candidate nomination.

Product overview

C-Further is an international consortium focused on children's cancer therapeutics, operating as a collaborative research and drug discovery platform. The consortium's portfolio currently consists of two core therapeutic programs: CF-012, a first-in-class ETV6 small molecule inhibitor for Ewing sarcoma developed in partnership with University of Virginia, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Mass General Brigham; and CF-033, a first-in-class allogeneic PRAME-targeting iNKT cell therapy for multiple paediatric cancers developed with MiNK Therapeutics and University of Southampton. C-Further provides funding, drug discovery facilities, and development expertise to advance these programs through preclinical candidate nomination.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CF-012: A potential first-in-class ETV6 inhibitor for the treatment of Ewing sarcoma
• CF-033

Products and services

• CF-012 CF-012 is a potential first-in-class small molecule inhibitor targeting ETV6, a newly identified transcriptional dependency in Ewing sarcoma. The programme aims to develop a mechanistically precise inhibitor to disrupt tumour growth and metastasis in a rare and aggressive bone cancer primarily affecting young people. Co-developed with the University of Virginia Comprehensive Cancer Center (John Bushweller), Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Kimberly Stegmaier), and Mass General Brigham (Miguel Rivera).
• CF-033 CF-033 is a potential first-in-class allogeneic, off-the-shelf iNKT cell therapy engineered with a T-cell receptor targeting PRAME, designed to treat multiple advanced paediatric cancers including bone sarcoma, medulloblastoma, and acute myeloid leukaemia. The therapy bridges innate and adaptive immunity to enable direct tumour cell killing and broader immune activation. Co-developed with MiNK Therapeutics and the University of Southampton (Ali Roghanian).
• Milestone-based research funding and drug discovery support C-Further's core service offering is milestone-based project funding combined with access to industry-standard drug discovery laboratories and expertise from Cancer Research Horizons and LifeArc. Selected academic researchers and partners receive financial support, scientific expertise, and collaborative co-development to progress pediatric oncology therapeutic projects from validated targets through preclinical candidate nomination, with equitable revenue sharing on downstream commercialisation.

Quantifiable outcome

• £37M ($50M) committed in resources and funding
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• MiNK TherapeuticsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 March 2026C-Further partnered with MiNK Therapeutics to advance CF-033, a PRAME-targeted TCR-engineered iNKT cell therapy for paediatric cancers including sarcomas, AML, and medulloblastoma. MiNK received approximately $1.1 million in non-dilutive funding plus double-digit share of downstream commercial revenues. The partnership allows MiNK to retain independence for other tumour antigen targets while advancing the programme in a capital-efficient manner.
• University of SouthamptonflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 March 2026The University of Southampton provides translational research support for the CF-033 programme, conducting comparative preclinical studies across paediatric cancer models to support selection of a lead clinical candidate. Key investigator: Ali Roghanian, Associate Professor, leads research alongside MiNK Therapeutics.
• University of VirginiaflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 March 2026C-Further partnered with the University of Virginia Comprehensive Cancer Center to advance CF-012 for Ewing sarcoma. Key investigator: John Bushweller, Professor of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, leads the programme targeting ETV6, a newly identified transcriptional dependency in Ewing sarcoma.
• Dana-Farber Cancer InstituteflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 March 2026Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is a key partner in the CF-012 programme for Ewing sarcoma. Key investigator: Kimberly Stegmaier, MD, Chair of the Department of Pediatric Oncology, brings expertise in paediatric oncology drug discovery to the consortium.
• Mass General BrighamflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 March 2026Mass General Brigham is a partner in the CF-012 programme through Massachusetts General Hospital. Key investigator: Miguel Rivera, MD, Associate Professor of Pathology, contributes pathology and disease biology expertise to the Ewing sarcoma programme.
• Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) CharitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025GOSH Charity joined as a core partner in September 2025 with a £10m ($13.5m) commitment to support expansion and diversification of C-Further's portfolio. GOSH Charity is the largest charitable funder of medical research dedicated to child health in the UK and provides access to Great Ormond Street Hospital's clinical expertise.
• Cancer Research HorizonscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2024Cancer Research Horizons, the innovation engine of Cancer Research UK, is a founding core partner of C-Further. The organisation provides strategic leadership, operational management, drug discovery capabilities, and access to Cancer Research UK's network of 4,000+ researchers and £400+ million annual research spend. Cancer Research Horizons has helped form over 70 spin-out companies and brought 13 cancer drugs to market.
• LifeArccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2024LifeArc is a self-funded, not-for-profit medical research organisation and charity, and a founding core partner of C-Further. The organisation contributes initial capital, scientific expertise, and operational support. LifeArc has 25+ years of experience in translational science and has contributed to five licensed medicines including pembrolizumab (Keytruda) and lecanemab for Alzheimer's.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Day One Biopharmaceuticals: Commercial paediatric oncology biotech that develops targeted therapies specifically for paediatric cancers, including rare and genetically defined paediatric tumours. Comparable focus on developing bespoke paediatric-first therapeutics rather than repurposing adult drugs.
• Y-mAbs Therapeutics: Commercial biopharmaceutical company developing antibody-based therapies for paediatric cancers, particularly neuroblastoma. Comparable focus on paediatric oncology drug development with commercial, rather than consortium-based, execution model.

Broad incumbents

• Bristol Myers Squibb: Major oncology pharmaceutical company with a broad paediatric oncology programme and collaborations including COG. Comparable as a potential downstream development partner and as a benchmark for how incumbents participate in paediatric oncology consortia.
• Roche / Genentech: Global pharmaceutical leader with a substantial oncology portfolio including paediatric oncology programmes and clinical collaborations with academic paediatric cancer groups. Comparable as a major industry player whose SAB member Frank Mussai is affiliated, and whose participation would be central to C-Further's downstream partnership strategy.

Direct peers

• Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation: Major US-based non-profit funder of paediatric oncology research, funding both laboratory research and clinical trials. Comparable as a charitable research funding model targeting the same market failure in paediatric oncology drug development.
• Innovative Therapies for Children with Cancer (ITCC): European paediatric oncology drug development consortium involving academic institutions, industry partners, and regulatory bodies to accelerate innovative therapies for children with cancer. Directly comparable consortium model targeting the same market failure C-Further addresses.
• CureSearch for Children's Cancer: US-based non-profit that accelerates paediatric cancer research through funding, advocacy, and collaboration. Comparable as a charitable paediatric cancer research organisation targeting the same market failure.
• St. Baldrick's Foundation: Large US charitable funder of paediatric cancer research, supporting cooperative research consortia, individual researchers, and clinical trials. Comparable mission and non-profit funding model for paediatric oncology drug development.
• Children's Oncology Group (COG): The world's largest paediatric cancer research organisation, a cooperative clinical trials group supported by the NCI. Highly comparable as a collaborative, multi-institutional paediatric oncology research and development platform, though with a stronger clinical trials focus.

Others

• LifeArc: Self-funded UK medical research charity and one of C-Further's three core founding partners. Included as a related party peer because LifeArc's translational infrastructure, expertise, and programme co-leads are operationally embedded in C-Further's delivery model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about C-Further