Work has begun to create a high-quality incubator space in the heart of The London Cancer Hub in Sutton.

The space - known as Innovation Gateway - is a significant step in The London Cancer Hub development, which aims to create the world’s leading district for cancer research, treatment and commercial enterprise.

The Innovation Gateway will offer companies the chance to work side by side with world-class scientists at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) within mixed laboratory, office and collaboration space.

It is due to open in late 2021 and will be home to a range of companies related to cancer, with a particular emphasis on accommodating start-ups, spin-outs and small teams from the biotech, medtech, data science and pharmaceutical industries.

The London Cancer Hub is a partnership between Sutton Council and The Institute of Cancer Research, London.

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Ruth Dombey

Ruth Dombey

Councillor Ruth Dombey, Leader of Sutton Council, said: "I'm delighted that work has begun on the Innovation Gateway, the first major development at the London Cancer Hub site since the Council decided to pursue direct delivery, rather than working through commercial developers.

“This will bring new jobs to the borough and new opportunities to work alongside world-leading medical scientists and researchers.

"Local authorities are facing significant financial challenges and this project and this delivery model are key to our ambition of maximising the regeneration benefits of The London Cancer Hub for local people, as well as the broader benefits to society to be gained through enabling world-leading cancer research to happen here in Sutton."

Professor Paul Workman, Chief Executive at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, said: “The creation of the Innovation Gateway is a really significant step forward in realising the vision of The London Cancer Hub, an ambitious partnership that aims to create the world’s leading district for cancer research, treatment and commercial enterprise in Sutton.

“The ICR is a world leading academic centre for cancer drug discovery and we already collaborate with more than 100 companies to take new treatments to patients.

“This new development represents the first opportunity for companies to work directly with our scientists and clinicians from a base on site, and we are very excited about bringing in new tenants to further enhance our work in collaboration with industry to create new treatments for cancer patients.”