UK launches £5 million next-generation cancer diagnostics programme to accelerate early detection and adoption

The Next Generation Cancer Diagnostics programme (NG-Dx), led by CPI and funded by the UK government’s Office for Life Sciences, will run for 18 months from January 2026. Designed as a pre-competitive programme, NG-Dx combines technical delivery with structured industry and public engagement to ensure innovation translates into clinically relevant, trusted and investable solutions. 

Despite rapid advances in areas such as circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA), proteomics and multi-omics analysis, many promising diagnostic technologies have struggled to progress beyond research settings. Fragmented development, unclear adoption pathways and high commercial risk have slowed progress, even as half of cancers in the UK are still diagnosed too late for optimal treatment. 

NG-Dx has been established to address these challenges directly, aligning scientific development with real-world clinical need, patient acceptability and industry investment readiness from the outset. 

During its first phase, the programme will develop concepts for optimised and standardised sample-preparation workflows for ctDNA and proteomics, alongside a multi-omics data architecture and an AI-enabled quality-control model. These outputs will be continuously shaped and tested through scientific, clinical, industrial and patient panels, ensuring they are robust, meaningful in practice and designed for scale. 

Rather than treating adoption as a downstream consideration, NG-Dx is structured to build confidence across the ecosystem as delivery progresses. This approach is intended to demonstrate clear return on public investment, reduce risk for industry and create a credible route from pre-competitive collaboration to clinical translation and commercial uptake.

Greig Rooney, Managing Director of Pharma and HealthTech at CPI, said:

“Too many cancers are still diagnosed late, but earlier, more precise detection has the potential to transform outcomes for patients.

“NG-Dx brings industry, clinicians, patients and technology leaders together to accelerate the translation of promising science into diagnostics that can be used in healthcare systems.

“By reducing risk and strengthening the pathway from innovation to adoption, the programme aims to deliver earlier detection for patients while creating clearer, more investable opportunities for industry.”

The programme is supported by industry organisations across diagnostics, pharmaceuticals and digital technology, alongside leading academics, clinicians, charities and patient representatives.

For government and healthcare stakeholders, NG-Dx provides a mechanism to solve some of the major underlying challenges that block the path to earlier, more precise diagnostics, aligned with NHS priorities, health-economic impact and the UK’s ambitions for life sciences growth and global leadership. For patients and the public, structured engagement throughout the programme ensures that acceptability, equity of access, burden of testing and trust in data use are addressed early and transparently.

Alex Mclaughlin, Director of the Office for Life Sciences, said:

“The Office for Life Sciences is pleased to support this groundbreaking Next Generation Cancer Diagnostics programme, which will enable earlier and more precise cancer diagnosis. Cancer will affect 1 in 2 of us and remains the leading cause of death in the UK. Faster diagnosis is key to improving outcomes and is central to the government’s new National Cancer Plan for England. 

“The programme will also strengthen the UK’s diagnostics sector and encourage investment, contributing to the growth of our life sciences industry. We are proud that the NG-Dx programme will help drive progress in both patient outcomes and economic growth across the UK.” 

An in-person programme kick-off workshop is scheduled for July 2026, bringing together industry, clinicians, researchers and patient groups. Key milestones and learning will be shared as the programme progresses, with opportunities for additional partners to engage as outputs develop.

Organisations interested in contributing to, or joining, the NG-Dx programme are encouraged to contact CPI to discuss participation.