High-performance oncological medicine made in Germany

Signing of the federal-state administrative agreement on NCT expansion

The WERA Alliance (Würzburg, Erlangen, Regensburg and Augsburg) is happy and proud to be part of the expanded NCT.

Würzburg/Erlangen/Regensburg/Augsburg: On November 24, the Federal Minister of Education and Research, Bettina Stark-Watzinger, Baden-Württemberg's Minister of Science, Petra Olschowski, and representatives of the ministries of Bavaria, Berlin, North Rhine-Westphalia and Saxony signed the federal-state administrative agreement on the NCT expansion in Heidelberg. The National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) has been expanded by four new locations throughout Germany. These are Berlin, SouthWest (Tübingen/Stuttgart-Ulm), WERA (Würzburg with the partners Erlangen, Regensburg and Augsburg) and West (Cologne/Essen). With the existing sites in Heidelberg and Dresden, a total of six NCT sites are now cooperating with the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and University Medicine. The declared aim is to sustainably advance state-of-the-art clinical cancer research in Germany and thereby improve the treatment results and quality of life of cancer patients.

WERA partners cover a care area of around eight million people

"The establishment of the NCT heralds a new era for translational cancer research in Germany as a scientific location," comments Prof. Dr. Hermann Einsele, spokesperson for the National Center for Tumor Diseases NCT WERA and Director of the Medical Clinic and Polyclinic II at the University Hospital of Würzburg. "We are very happy and also a little proud that we are now part of the expanded NCT," says Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Herr, Deputy Spokesperson of the NCT WERA and Director of the Department of Internal Medicine III at Regensburg University Hospital.

The NCT WERA will create the opportunity to offer the latest procedures in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer in the northern Bavarian region in particular. The four WERA partners cover a service area of around eight million people. "Thanks to the NCT funding, all cancer patients, including those from predominantly rural areas, have the best possible access to state-of-the-art oncological diagnostic and therapeutic procedures as well as innovative clinical trials at the WERA sites," says Wolfgang Herr.

Young scientists are given protected space for research

According to Hermann Einsele, the NCT is also a great opportunity for young scientists to transfer findings from basic sciences and preclinical research to the clinic: "Junior research will be significantly expanded with many new positions for research-oriented colleagues and new career options. Finally, the NCT will enable 'protected time' to bring study ideas or research projects from young physicians into the clinic."

Bringing the latest findings into clinical trials quickly and comprehensively

During the panel discussion, which took place shortly before the signing of the federal-state agreement, private lecturer Dr. Sophia Danhof from the University Hospital of Würzburg highlighted the importance of promoting young researchers as well as translation: "Where in the past excellent preclinical research did not reach clinical application, or only insufficiently so, the NCT is now joining forces to ensure that cancer patients benefit from the latest scientific findings as quickly and comprehensively as possible in clinical trials. In this way, the NCT is boosting the translation of cutting-edge German research into high-performance oncological medicine 'made in Germany'," says the internist and research group leader at the Chair of Cellular Immunotherapy.
Specifically, the NCT WERA will further strengthen the development of new cancer drugs and personalized medicine tailored to the individual patient. The focus will include the further expansion of innovative immunotherapies ("CAR-T cells") and the development of new molecular therapeutics.

Patient representation promotes understanding of patient-oriented research

"According to Prof. Dr. Nina Ditsch, being an active part of the NCT as a WERA network with the Würzburg, Erlangen, Regensburg and Augsburg sites enables the targeted funding of jointly developed translational projects with a focus on investigator-initiated studies, i.e. studies initiated by university science without commercial interest, for the first time. "In addition, close networking with patient representatives from a wide range of tumor entities is intended in particular to promote early collaboration with scientists and thus an understanding of patient-oriented research," says the Head of the Breast Center at Augsburg University Hospital and member of the NCT WERA Board of Directors.

Drawing on the excellent network of the CCC Alliance WERA

Prof. Dr. Marianne Pavel, also a member of the NCT WERA Board of Directors and Head of Endocrinology at the University Hospital Erlangen, emphasizes the excellent networking of the WERA Alliance. "The structures of the CCC WERA established over the last few years make a significant contribution to realizing the joint goals of the NCT and CCC." The "Comprehensive Cancer Center Alliance WERA", which has been awarded the title of "Oncological Center of Excellence" by German Cancer Aid, already joined forces in 2019. Even before joining the NCT, the CCC Alliance WERA involved more than 10,000 new patients with all types of tumor diseases in joint clinical trials every year.

Prof. Dr. Ralf Bargou, Director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC Mainfranken), spokesperson of the CCC WERA and member of the NCT WERA Board of Directors sums up: "The signing of the federal-state administrative agreement for the NCT expansion is another important milestone for the joint work in the WERA Alliance. And it is also recognition of the many years of development work behind these joint structures. The upcoming projects will now provide further impetus to improve the care of people with tumor diseases in the WERA region. This is precisely the aim of university research and this is what characterizes our joint work."

Detailed statements from the WERA locations:

Prof. Dr. Hermann Einsele, Director of the Medical Clinic and Polyclinic II at the University Hospital of Würzburg: "The establishment of the NCT heralds a new era for translational cancer research in Germany as a scientific location. The NCT WERA will create the opportunity to offer the latest procedures in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer in the northern Bavarian region with its large rural population. The NCT is a great opportunity for young scientists to transfer findings from basic science and preclinical research into clinical practice. Junior research will be significantly expanded with many new positions for research-oriented colleagues and new career options. Finally, the NCT will enable 'protected time' to bring study ideas or research projects from young doctors into the clinic.

Prof. Dr. Marianne Pavel, Head of the Department of Endocrinology at the University Hospital Erlangen: "Thanks to the expanded NCT, new therapeutic approaches to combat cancer can now be brought into clinical application more quickly and effectively, also thanks to the high level of expertise within the NCT network. The new Germany-wide structures and measures make it possible to bundle this expertise and implement innovative clinical research on a relevant scale in Germany for the first time. Thankfully, we can draw on the excellent networking within the CCC Alliance WERA. The structures of the CCC WERA that have been established over the last few years make a significant contribution to realizing the joint goals of the NCT and CCC.

Dr. Wolfgang Herr, Director of the Department of Internal Medicine III at the University Hospital Regensburg: "Thanks to the NCT funding, all cancer patients, including those from predominantly rural areas, receive the best possible access to the latest oncological diagnostic and therapeutic procedures as well as innovative clinical trials at the WERA sites. We are very happy and also a little proud that we are now part of the expanded NCT.

Prof. Dr. Nina Ditsch, Head of the Breast Center at Augsburg University Hospital: "Being an active part of the NCT as a WERA network with the Würzburg, Erlangen, Regensburg and Augsburg sites makes it possible for the first time to specifically promote jointly developed translational projects with a focus on investigator-initiated studies, i.e. studies initiated by university science without commercial interest. The creation of special networking structures in the areas of research and clinical practice lays the foundation for funding specifically geared towards young scientists in the field of cancer. Close networking with patient representatives from a wide range of tumor entities is intended in particular to promote early collaboration with scientists and thus an understanding of patient-oriented research."

To the press release of the University Hospital of Würzburg: Oncological high-performance medicine made in Germany (ukw.de)