Unlocking innovation for brain tumours

Key findings from the report

The Brain Tumour Charity’s report sheds light on the critical barriers slowing progress in brain tumour treatment innovation, with two standout findings:

• Fragmented funding and inequitable access: Despite the UK’s strong scientific base, funding for brain tumour research remains fragmented and disproportionately low compared to other cancers. This has created inequities in access to innovation, leaving patients and families facing limited treatment options and poor outcomes.
• Regulatory challenges stifling early-stage innovation: Regulatory pathways for rare diseases and early-stage treatments are often unclear, creating significant hurdles for researchers and innovators. Streamlining these processes is essential to foster the development of new treatments and ensure they reach patients faster.

These findings underscore the urgent need for coordinated strategies and investment to drive innovation forward.

Eight recommendations to unlock innovation

1. Strengthening translational collaboration to accelerate innovation
2. Regulatory clarity for early-stage and rare disease innovation
3. Workforce capacity and protected research time
4. Broadening the assessment of innovation value and impact
5. Fairer cost-effectiveness thresholds for high-burden rare conditions
6. A single, coherent access framework for innovation
7. Commissioning models that support equitable adoption
8. National leadership and strategy.

Read the full report

To learn more about the barriers and opportunities for innovation in brain tumour treatment, you can access the full report here.

Join us at PING 2026

Cameron Miller, Director of External Affairs & Strategy at The Brain Tumour Charity, is one of the 150 attendees already confirmed for PING 2026. PING is a pharma conference for people across the pharma ecosystem from early stage R&D through to supply of finished product - this year's conference is being run by VWV in association with the pharma trade organisation EMIG.

Taking place on 8th June 2026 at Victoria House, Bloomsbury, this year’s conference will explore Britain’s Life Sciences Strategy – How Will the UK Lead Europe by 2030?. The event will feature a stellar line-up of speakers, including George Freeman MP, Lawrence Tallon (the pro-innovation MHRA CEO), and industry leaders in manufacturing and genomics and a former Number 10 Downing Street Health Policy Special Advisor. 

Spaces are limited, so don’t miss your chance to join the conversation! Register your interest here.