Expanding the US.-Australia Cancer Alliance Toward an Asia Pacific Collaborative Effort to Save Millions of Lives
November 21, 2024
Today (November 21st, 2024), Cure4Cancer and Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis have published the second report in C4C’s series on Advancing Global Health Equity, and it builds on the framework of the international collaboration and regulatory harmonization of clinical cancer trials.
Cancer remains one of the most pressing global health challenges, claiming 10 million lives each year with devastating effects on family members and loved ones, and placing immense strain on healthcare systems across the world. As Nelson Mandela once said, “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” This report, Advancing Global Health Equity: Expanding the U.S.-Australia Cancer Alliance Toward an Asia-Pacific Collaborative to Save Millions of Lives, embodies that spirit of perseverance and global cooperation, offering a roadmap toward equitable cancer care through international collaboration.
This report is the second in our series on Advancing Global Health Equity for the Cure4Cancer. It builds on the framework of international collaboration and regulatory harmonization on clinical trials as described in our first report, and uses new Australian initiatives as a case study. The U.S.-Australia partnership, grounded in an innovative concept of the hub-and-spoke network model of clinical trials and access to precision oncology, demonstrates how collaboration may transcend borders to overcome disparities in cancer care and prevention to help patients in diverse communities. This report empha- sizes the power of sharing knowledge, regulatory harmonization, and inclusion of diverse populations to ensure that scientific advances reach all those in need, regardless of geographic, racial-ethnic, or economic barriers.
Drawing from the strength of this partnership, this report calls for the simultaneous expansion of mul- tilateral collaboration across the Asia-Pacific, a region that represents the world’s largest and fastest growing economy, and where cancer care disparities are vast. It is this spirit of collective action and mutual learning that will drive the future through advancing global health equity. We invite policy- makers, healthcare leaders, and researchers across public and private sectors globally to join this vital mission to ensure access to innovative life-saving treatments and prevention are expanded to all com- munities, which would in turn stimulate economic development and accelerate the cure for cancer— eliminating it as a cause of death—for all of humanity.
Download the full report here.
Sept 24, 2024
A study conducted by Bloomberg New Economy International Cancer Coalition, McKinsey Cancer Center, and Cure4Cancer in collaboration with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center revealed patient access and participation in oncology clinical trials remain fewer than 5% globally and suggest solutions to lower barriers to access in order to accelerate the ‘cure for cancer’.
Read the full study in American Association for Cancer Research.
Anupriya Singhal, Bob T. Li & Eileen M. O’Reilly
Nature Magazine, April 18, 2024
This piece in Nature Medicine that outlines the strategic thinking and future directions in the KRAS battle. Combination therapies against KRAS are underway, and first-in-human clinical trials of new allele specific molecules are already here, including promising inhibitors of KRAS G12D.
Apart from furthering our advances against lung cancers, we have a comprehensive plan to beat some of the most recalcitrant malignancies.
The full article is behind a paywall at Nature Magazine.
JAMA Network, April 12, 2024
Assessing the current global state of adoption of decentralized trial technologies, understanding factors that may be driving or preventing adoption, and highlighting aspirations and direction for industry to enable more patient-centric trials.
Read the report on JAMA Network
Bloomberg New Economy Forum, November 2023
Dr Bob Li, Physician Ambassador to China and Asia-Pacific, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and C4C Task Force member, speaks at the 2023 Bloomberg New Economy Forum in Singapore.
Watch the full talk on YouTube
Forbes China, September 2023
Forbes China announced its fourth Forbes China Healthcare Summit will take place virtually on Sept. 22, 2023 in the U.S. (Sept. 23, 2023 in China). The theme of this year’s summit will be “Advancing Global Health Equity To Cure Cancer”.
Read the announcement here.
Forbes.com, September 20, 2023
C4C’s Dr. Bob Li discusses the need for a greater focus on global inequity, defined as a lack of access to clinical trials and breakthrough research. Today, only less than 5% of cancer patients have access to clinical trials offering potentially life-saving new drugs and treatment breakthroughs.
Oncology Live – June 13, 2023
C4C Taskforce Member Dr Bob T. Li discusses the results of a phase 1/2 study of the first-in-class immune-stimulating antibody conjugate BDC-1001 in patients with advanced HER2-expressing solid tumors.
Watch the interview on Oncology Live
Centerpoint, February 21, 2023
On Centerpoint, Dr. Bob Li joins Doug McKelway to discuss new breakthroughs in the area of precision medicine and its effectiveness against lung cancer.
Watch the full Interview on YouTube
Russell Flannery, Forbes.com, 17 December 2022
Health experts from the United States and China recently engaged in discussions regarding a potential collaboration to accelerate the fight against cancer by participating in multi-regional clinical trials. Following a summit between U.S. President Joe Biden and China President Xi Jinping in Indonesia, potential areas of improvement in the strained relationship between the two countries were identified, with a focus on cancer research and treatment. Jingquan Bi, a key figure in China’s health and drug regulatory sector, expressed optimism about overcoming obstacles related to a confidentiality agreement to allow China’s participation in Project Orbis, an initiative aimed at expediting cancer drug approvals through simultaneous regulatory reviews.
Project Orbis, led by the U.S. FDA Oncology Center of Excellence, involves several countries collaborating to review clinical trial data concurrently, thus reducing the time required for cancer patients to access new drugs and treatments. While eight countries are currently part of Project Orbis, China is not included. Dr. Richard Pazdur, the head of
U.S. FDA’s Oncology Center, highlighted the necessity for pharmaceutical companies to make simultaneous submissions to expedite approvals where significant delays exist. The success of Project Orbis has been evident in facilitating communication among regulatory agencies and establishing uniform standards globally.
Efforts to involve China in Project Orbis may involve addressing complexities in confidentiality agreements and exploring new initiatives such as “Project Pragmatica” aimed at simplifying clinical trials. The collaboration in cancer research between the U.S. and China is seen as a pivotal opportunity to revitalize their relationship, particularly in the context of addressing the significant cancer burden in both countries. Prominent figures such as Kevin Rudd emphasized the importance of successful collaboration in cancer research as a means to inject positive momentum into U.S.-China relations, with potential benefits extending beyond healthcare to broader bilateral dynamics.
To read the full article, visit Forbes.com.
