The Boston-based Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has announced a $10 million gift from the Linde Family Foundation to help launch the Center for Therapeutic Discovery.

The center will be home to a team devoted to the development of novel therapeutics for patients with rare and hard-to-treat cancers. The center is a strategic priority for Dana-Farber and launches with a goal of $40 million in investments over the next five years. The foundation also has pledged an additional $5 million if an equal amount can be raised from other donors and a sustainability plan for the center has been developed.

“Drug discovery for rare cancers—like all pediatric cancers—often goes unaddressed because the market is perceived to be too small,” said Scott Armstrong, chair of the Dana-Farber department of pediatric oncology and the David G. Nathan, MD, Professor of Pediatrics. “We view the Center for Therapeutic Discovery as a catalyst to drive drug discovery for rare cancers. This generous support from the Linde Family Foundation allows Dana-Farber to invest in novel therapeutic projects with a focus on impact, not profit, delivering new options and hope for patients facing the toughest cancers.”

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