Memorial Sloan Kettering and the Chinese Thoracic Oncology Group Urge International Harmonization to Accelerate Cancer Drug Approvals at Annual Event

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, December 28, 2022

The fifth annual MSK-CTONG Symposium highlighted the importance of global regulatory harmonization in clinical trials to expedite access to cancer treatments for patients worldwide. The symposium, hosted online for a global audience in December 2022, showcased collaborations between the Chinese Thoracic Oncology Group (CTONG) and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) to advance scientific, educational, and regulatory aspects of clinical trials for new cancer therapies. This initiative aims to benefit millions of patients by accelerating testing and approvals of cancer treatments through international partnerships.

The MSK-CTONG collaboration, focusing on precision cancer therapies for lung cancer, aims to enhance patient access to international clinical trials and facilitate educational exchanges between healthcare professionals in the U.S. and China. The symposium highlighted the significant role of international regulatory harmonization in potentially saving 1-2 million lives annually, as demonstrated by a recent MSK-led study in collaboration with Asia Society and the Bloomberg New Economy International Cancer Coalition. The collaboration between MSK and CTONG seeks to promote greater access to new cancer drugs and foster global regulatory dialogue across borders.

Furthermore, the Symposium addressed the strategic importance of initiatives like Project Orbis, led by the FDA Oncology Center of Excellence, in accelerating timelines for new drug applications through simultaneous regulatory reviews by various countries. The event emphasized the need for enhanced international collaboration to streamline regulatory processes, improve quality of care, and facilitate faster access to innovative cancer medicines. By promoting regulatory harmonization, partnerships like MSK-CTONG and Project Orbis aim to drive advancements in cancer treatment on a global scale, benefiting diverse patient populations across different regions.

To read the full article, please visit the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center website.