Toxicology and Pharmacology Branch (TPB)

Preclinical toxicology and pharmacology are required for decision making throughout drug discovery and development and for IND filing for clinical trials. Toxicological and pharmacological data can inform clinical trial design, such as determination of maximum tolerated dose, dose-limiting toxicities, and starting dose. With appropriate characterization, in most cases, safe operating parameters can be established for human clinical trials.

The Toxicology and Pharmacology Branch (TPB) of the Developmental Therapeutics Program (DTP), Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis (DCTD), National Cancer Institute is the focus for obtaining and evaluating preclinical toxicology and pharmacology data on anti-cancer drugs and biologicals that have been approved for NCI discovery and development. The ultimate goal is to identify and characterize the toxicologic profile and pharmacokinetic properties of potential drug candidates and to support an Investigational New Agent Application (IND) or a Drug Master File (DMF) with the USFDA.

The TPB and its predecessors have been involved in drug development of cancer drugs since 1955 when the Cancer National Service Center (CNSC) Program was created; in the development of AIDS Drugs since1986; cancer biologicals since 1992; cancer and to a more limited extent, AIDS vaccines since 1993; cancer gene therapy since 1995; and diagnostic imaging agents since 1996. A complete listing of INDs and or DMFs that the TPB has supported since 1986 is available here.

The expertise provided by the Toxicology and Pharmacology Branch is applied throughout drug discovery and development process.