AACR Institution Profile | Drug Discovery & DDS

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INSTITUTION PROFILE / Drug Discovery and DDS

AACR
— One of the world’s largest cancer research organizations, where new drug candidates often first come into view

The AACR (American Association for Cancer Research) is a society where basic, translational, and clinical researchers gather. They do not have the authority to approve drugs or allocate research grants from governments. Yet, in the world of drug discovery, the AACR stands out as a significant player.Spring Annual Meeting (2026 is in April) has become the place where the chemical structures of potential anticancer drugs and the initial results of clinical trials are first unveiled.In this article, AACR isWhat Impact Will Drug Discovery and Drug Delivery Systems Have on Each Other?To organize the three pathways: Annual Meeting, Academic Journal, and Research Grants.

The AACR (American Association for Cancer Research) is a major research institution that organizes the world's largest annual meeting on cancer research. It provides comprehensive information through its official website, including the overview, Fast Facts, the page for the 2026 Annual Meeting, the clinical trial special section, and the page for new drugs on the horizon. It also features a list of sponsors. The latest update was in September 2026.

What You Will Learn in This Article

In 30 Seconds: What the AACR Is
Who Is This Institution? - The 'Model' of Influence
What Are They Doing in Drug Discovery and DDS?
The Scope of Influence (Authority and Region)
Who Are They Working With?
Looking Ahead
Pharmaceutical R&D Guide: ACR (American Association for Cancer Research) | Troy Technical

30 Seconds to Understanding AACR

Official NameAmerican Association for Cancer ResearchIn Japanese, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)

CountryUSAHeadquarters is in Philadelphia. There are also offices in Boston and Washington D.C.

Type of InstitutionAcademic body (non-profit organization)Tax-exempt charitable organization in the United States

FoundedMay 7, 1907Founded by 11 physicians and scientists in Washington D.C.

Membership sizeOver 65,000 membersResiding in 143 countries and regions

Annual Meeting ScaleOver 23,000 RegistrantsBy 2026, from 74 Countries and Regions

Involvement in Drug Discovery and DDSPlatform for Presenting Research ResultsFirst Public Appearance of New Drug Candidates, Clinical Trial Presentations, Publication in 10 Journals

Scope of ImpactResearchers and Enterprises WorldwideApproval or regulatory authority is not held here.

The most important point to grasp is that.

AACR has a place where one can determine.Who will see the data first, when, and where.In the 2026 annual meeting, approximately 250 clinical trials will be presented, out of which 11 completed Phase III trials will be presented. Factually speaking.However, whether to approve a drug or not is not decided by AACR itself, but by the regulatory authorities in each country. AACR does not hold direct authority in approval or clinical practice.。

2. What is the institution? -- The 'model' of influence that doesn't sell drugs itself

Pharmaceutical R&D articles refer to 'institutions' as companies do, but they don't sell drugs themselves either. Instead, they provideHow it will impact the industry through various pathways.They are classified into four types.

Figure 1　Types of institutions involved in drug discovery and DDS, and the position of AACR. The classification is based on this article, and examples are provided from the eight institutions handled in this series. Calculation in this article.AACR provides funding for research, but differs in scale and nature from NIH, which allocates government funds, so it is placed in the 'creating a space' category.

3. What does AACR do in drug discovery and DDS?

AACR's involvement in drug discovery is divided intoAnnual Meeting、Academic Journals、Research Funding and Policy Recommendationsbased on the three categories of Annual Meeting, Academic Journals, and Research Funding and Policy Recommendations. Factually speaking.。

activities	scale	content	relationship with drug discovery and drug delivery systems
Annual Meeting (2026)	April 17-22, in San Diego, USA Over 23,000 registrants from 74 countries and regions	Over 760 invited speakers, with the number of clinical trial presentations reaching a record high of approximately 250, including 11 completed Phase III trials and 6 trials currently ongoing	The plenary session (main conference) of clinical trials featured four sessions: Precision Medicine (KRAS inhibitors),ADCCell Therapy, and Immunotherapy
New Drugs on the Horizon	Annual Meeting featuring 3 sessions and 12 presentations (each 20 minutes)	Novel low-molecular and high-molecular drugs undergoing clinical trials or soon to enter clinical trials have their chemical and biological structures publicly disclosed for the first time.Reviewers sign non-disclosure agreements and keep the content confidential until the presentation date.Companies reveal the structural details of their development candidates at this venue. In 2026, 12 more candidates will be publicly disclosed.	Peer-reviewed articles published in 10 journals such as Cancer Discovery, Cancer Research, Clinical Cancer Research, Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, and Blood Cancer Discovery.
Academic Journals	Presentations of preclinical to clinical research results.	Funding for research, academic conferences, and policy recommendations.	A platform for publishing research grants, organizing academic meetings, and advocating for federal government funding for cancer research.
Promoting young researchers and activities to seek public funding from agencies like NIH.	Over 30 academic meetings and training sessions annually.	Direct funding for research, as a partner of Stand Up To Cancer, and advocating for federal government funding for cancer research.	Nurturing young researchers and activities to seek public funding from agencies like NIH.

The Significance of "First Disclosure": What the AACR Session Holds

For pharmaceutical companies, the chemical structure of a developing drug is a crucial corporate secret. The New Drugs on the Horizon initiative has been carefully withholding the structural details of these compounds until the presentation date, and then making their first public disclosure. Researchers and competitors will learn about the design of new drugs, from low-molecular to high-molecular, for the first time at this venue. In the plenary session of the ADC (Antibody-Drug Conjugate) conference in 2026, results from the first-in-human trials of the ADC trastuzumab deruxtecan (Enhertu) combined with PARP inhibitors olaparib, and the first-in-human trials of a new EGFR-targeted ADC were presented.The New Drugs on the Horizon initiative has been carefully withholding the structural details of these compounds until the presentation date, and then making their first public disclosure. Researchers and competitors will learn about the design of new drugs, from low-molecular to high-molecular, for the first time at this venue. In the plenary session of the ADC (Antibody-Drug Conjugate) conference in 2026, results from the first-in-human trials of the ADC trastuzumab deruxtecan (Enhertu) combined with PARP inhibitors olaparib, and the first-in-human trials of a new EGFR-targeted ADC were presented.This venue is where researchers and competitors will first learn about the design of new drugs, from low-molecular to high-molecular, and where they can gain insights into the flow of new drug design. Factually speaking.。

Impact Scope (Authority and Region)

Perspective	What the AACR Has	What the AACR Lacks
Authority	Deciding which presentations to include and how to present them at the Annual Meeting.The judgment on whether to accept and publish articles in academic journals.	Authority to approve, ensure safety, and secure insurance reimbursement. The right to mandate companies to conduct trials and publish results.
Region	Headquarters is inUSAHowever, members are from 143 countries and regions, with registrants for the 2026 annual meeting coming from 74 countries and regions.	The right to influence specific country regulations and budgets directly (with influence on the U.S. federal budget through advocacy).
Targeted	Cancer researchers, pharmaceutical companies, patient support organizations, and media (with over 190 registered journalists in 2026).	Other fields
scale	Over 65,000 members, 10 peer-reviewed journals, and over 30 academic meetings annually.	Financial figures are not confirmed in this article.

Note on number reading

"Over 23,000 registrants" refers to the number of registrants for the annual meeting, which is a different number from the total membership (over 65,000). Additionally, the majority of clinical trials presented at the 2026 meeting were in the early phases (I and II), with approximately 250 trials, of which about 11 had completed Phase III trials. By the end of 2026, 11 Phase III trials had been completed.. Presentations at the meeting have not gone through the necessary review for approval, and they do not guarantee approval or adoption for clinical use. Factually speaking.The presentations made at the conference are not those that have gone through the necessary review for approval, and they do not guarantee approval or adoption for clinical use.The presentations made at the conference are not those that have gone through the necessary review for approval, and they do not guarantee approval or adoption for clinical use.。

5. Stakeholders involved

Figure 2　The flow of new cancer treatment data made public through AACR. Source: AACR Annual Meeting 2026, New Drugs on the Horizon page, Sponsorship list, Annual Meeting summary article. Sponsorship was selected from the top 2 categories (Cure & Progress) by the companies mentioned. Calculation in this article.。

Sponsorship companies for AACR Annual Meeting 2026 (potential candidates for the series of company profiles)

Sponsorship categories (AACR notation)	Company	Note on pronunciation
Cure Level	AstraZeneca、GSK	Topmost category. Amounts are not disclosed.
Progress Level	Daiichi Sankyo, Inc.、Lilly	Women's cancer research funds are also in this category.
Promise Level	Pfizer, Novartis, Merck & Co., Sanofi, Gilead, and Kite Oncology, among others	Many patient groups and research foundations are also included

※Sponsorship supports the operation of the conference, separate from the process of selecting presentations. The presence or absence of sponsorship does not influence the evaluation of the content of the presentations.

6. Future Outlook

Available Information	Primary Information	Category
The Annual Meeting of AACR serves as a platform for foundational research,as well as for the presentation of late-stage clinical trials.Its importance is increasing, with a greater emphasis on clinical trial presentations.	In 2026, the number of clinical trial presentations reached a record high of approximately 250, including 11 completed Phase III trials.	Estimates suggest that this trend will continue.
New modalities such as ADCs and cell therapies.Initial data from these new modalities will continue to be presented as the first to emerge.This will provide material for assessing the development status of companies.	In 2026, four plenary sessions included one presentation each on ADCs and cell therapies and immunotherapy.	Estimates suggest that this trend will continue.
The initial structural presentation of new drugs will continue to be held in sync with the Annual Meeting schedule.The 2027 Annual Meeting is scheduled to take place from April 2 to 7 in Orlando.The deadline for submitting proposals for the 2027 Annual Meeting is October 15, 2026.	7. Glossary	Estimates suggest that this trend will continue.

Abstract

Abstract: A summary of a research presentation submitted to the conference. Abstracts are reviewed by the conference committee and assigned to either oral or poster presentations.

Plenary: A full session open to all attendees. High-impact research is typically selected for plenary presentations.

Phase III Trials: Clinical trials to confirm efficacy and safety compared to existing treatments. The main basis for approval applications.

embargo: a binding agreement to prohibit the disclosure of content until a specified date. As in the Horizon of New Drugs, the structure is held back until the presentation date.

ADC (Antibody-Drug Conjugate): A modality that combines an antibody with a drug (payload) to deliver the drug to target cells.

8. References

AACR　About the AACR (founded on May 7, 1907, with over 65,000 members, in 143 countries and regions, 10 peer-reviewed journals, scientific partner of Stand Up To Cancer, over 30 academic meetings annually, and recommendations to the federal budget). https://www.aacr.org/about-the-aacr/
AACR　AACR Fast Facts (headquarters in Philadelphia, Boston, and Washington D.C., membership numbers, list of academic journals). https://www.aacr.org/about-the-aacr/newsroom/media-resources/aacr-fast-facts/
AACR　AACR Annual Meeting 2026 (April 17-22, 2026, San Diego Convention Center). https://www.aacr.org/meeting/aacr-annual-meeting-2026/
AACR Annual Meeting 2026 News.　Thank you for an incredible AACR Annual Meeting 2026! (2026 May 7. Over 23,000 registrants, 74 countries and regions, over 250 clinical trials, 11 completed Phase III trials, over 760 invited speakers, over 190 journalists, 2027 schedule). https://www.aacrmeetingnews.org/aacr-ceo-margaret-foti-phd-md-hc-thank-you-for-an-incredible-aacr-annual-meeting-2026/
AACR　Spotlight on Clinical Trials (four main themes of clinical trials plenary sessions in 2026). https://www.aacr.org/meeting/aacr-annual-meeting-2026/spotlight-on-clinical-trials/
AACR Annual Meeting 2026 News.　Second Clinical Trials Plenary highlighted results of next-generation antibody-drug conjugates (April 21, 2026. Combination of trastuzumab deruxtecan and olaparib, Phase I trial of EGFR-targeted ADC). https://www.aacrmeetingnews.org/second-clinical-trials-plenary-highlighted-results-of-next-generation-antibody-drug-conjugates/
AACR　AACR New Drugs on the Horizon at the Annual Meeting (three sessions, 12 presentations, initial public release of chemical structures and biological properties, confidentiality agreements, 12 new drugs in 2026, application deadline for 2027). https://www.aacr.org/professionals/membership/scientific-working-groups/chemistry-in-cancer-research-working-group/new-drugs-on-the-horizon/
AACR　AACR Annual Meeting 2026: Supporters (sponsorship categories and list of sponsors). https://www.aacr.org/meeting/aacr-annual-meeting-2026/supporters/

9. Statement-Reference Correspondence Table

Statements in the article	Category	References
Founded on May 7, 1907, with over 65,000 members, in 143 countries and regions, 10 peer-reviewed journals, research funding, Stand Up To Cancer, over 30 academic meetings annually, and recommendations to the federal budget.	Factually speaking.	Reference 1 https://www.aacr.org/about-the-aacr/
Headquarters in Philadelphia, Boston, and Washington D.C.	Factually speaking.	Reference 2 https://www.aacr.org/about-the-aacr/newsroom/media-resources/aacr-fast-facts/
AACR Annual Meeting 2026 schedule and venue	Factually speaking.	Reference 3 https://www.aacr.org/meeting/aacr-annual-meeting-2026/
Over 23,000 registrants from over 74 countries and regions, approximately 250 clinical trials in progress, 11 completed Phase III trials, 760 invited speakers, over 190 journalists, schedule for 2027	Factually speaking.	Reference 4 https://www.aacrmeetingnews.org/aacr-ceo-margaret-foti-phd-md-hc-thank-you-for-an-incredible-aacr-annual-meeting-2026/
Four clinical trial plenary sessions cover four major themes (KRAS inhibitors, ADCs, cell therapy, immunotherapy)	Factually speaking.	Reference 5 https://www.aacr.org/meeting/aacr-annual-meeting-2026/spotlight-on-clinical-trials/
Content of the plenary session on ADCs	Factually speaking.	Reference 6 https://www.aacrmeetingnews.org/second-clinical-trials-plenary-highlighted-results-of-next-generation-antibody-drug-conjugates/
Structure and goals of the New Drugs on the Horizon section, with 12 applications in 2026 and a deadline for applications in 2027	Factually speaking.	Reference 7 https://www.aacr.org/professionals/membership/scientific-working-groups/chemistry-in-cancer-research-working-group/new-drugs-on-the-horizon/
Sponsorship breakdown and sponsoring companies for the 2026 Annual Meeting	Factually speaking.	Reference 8 https://www.aacr.org/meeting/aacr-annual-meeting-2026/supporters/
Breakdown of the four types of institutional structures and a summary of the sponsoring companies from Figure 2	Calculation in this article.	Summary of this guide
Financial figures such as the total income of AACR, sponsorship amounts	Uncertain/To come	Not confirmed in this guide. Not estimated
Three outlook items in Chapter 6	Estimates suggest that this trend will continue.	Interpretation of this guide based on references 4, 5, and 7

Last updated: September 26, 2026 / Troy Technical
The numbers in this guide are based on data from the official AACR website and annual meeting news. Results from clinical trials presented at the meeting do not imply approval or use in clinical practice. Sections marked as "guess" are interpretations based on the information in this guide. This guide is not medical advice.