The first multisite oncology trial undertaken by the independent sector in the UK – focusing on prostate cancer – has started treating its first patient at the Rutherford Cancer Centre North East. This partnership between Rutherford Health and Panthera will expand the capacity of the UK to undertake oncology studies and provide more treatment options for cancer patients. The partnership already has more than 10 other oncology trials in the pipeline.
While the UK has some of the world’s leading cancer hospitals, the capacity to carry out oncology trials in the UK has become more limited due to Covid-19 with a growing backlog for treatment and diagnostics.
Professor Karol Sikora, Chief Medical Officer of Rutherford Heath and consultant oncologist commented, “It is very important that the UK grows its capacity to carry out oncology trials so that more patients have access to the latest treatments and that our world leading oncologists are at the cutting edge of research. There is a global shortage of top-class oncology research sites with access to leading oncology experts and our partnership with Panthera and their expertise in running clinical trials will provide both.”
There are more than 75,000 oncology related trials underway across the world with the number growing rapidly.
Stuart Young, CEO of Panthera, explained, “This partnership with Rutherford is creating enormous interest with pharma and CROs involved in cancer trials from across the world. The combination of our expertise in running trials and Rutherford’s state of the art facilities, links to more than 170 oncologists covering all types of cancer and access to their cutting-edge technologies which include MRI, CT and proton beam is very compelling.”
Tackling advanced forms of prostate cancer
The phase II open label, non-randomised, prostate cancer trial which is investigating a new treatment for an advanced form of prostate cancer, known as metastatic castration-resistant cancer (mCRPC), is being run at two of the four Panthera@theRutherford Cancer Centres across the UK. It is believed that about 20% of patients with mCRPC possess the biomarker to make them eligible for this new treatment being trialled.
A 71-year-old patient from Middlesbrough, became the first person in the UK to receive this new drug. Over the course of 12 months plus, he will receive treatment at the Rutherford Cancer Centre North East in Bedlington.
For more information on the Rutherford Cancer Centres, please visit: http://www.therutherford.com
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