The new collaboration is intended to accelerate the enrollment of clinical trials by stimulating greater awareness and facilitating access to trial options
The Woodlands, Texas and Cambridge, Mass. (June 18, 2015) - US Oncology Research, one of the nation's largest networks of integrated, community-based oncology practices dedicated to advancing high-quality treatments through clinical trials, announced today a new collaboration with Cure Forward, a patient activation company. US Oncology Research and Cure Forward will work together to make personalized medicine more accessible and approachable in the community setting, reinforcing the cooperation that exists between physicians and patients through educational resources and improved clinical trial matching.
US Oncology Research typically offers approximately 225 clinical trials across 160 locations nationwide. Many physicians affiliated with US Oncology Research are also part of The US Oncology Network, which provides care to more than 800,000 patients each year; several of whom are seeking advanced therapies and trials for hard-to-treat diseases.
At Cure Forward, patients can request their genomic results from physician-ordered laboratory tests performed by accredited diagnostics laboratories; results are delivered in digital form to the patient’s online account. Once the data is available, patients can use the Cure Forward platform to connect to relevant information, clinical trials, and other patients with similar characteristics. Through these resources, personalized healthcare becomes more broadly accessible and approachable.
Cure Forward has an entirely new way for patients and clinical trial sites to find one another. The Clinical Trial Exchange gives patients the ability to post certain de-identified elements of their profiles for a defined period. Meanwhile, clinical trial sites use the platform to search for patients with the specific trial criteria. When patients’ posts match open trial searches, the site can extend invitations to those patients to apply to their trials through their online accounts, and if the patient expresses an interest, the site will screen the patient to see if the patient satisfies all of the eligibility criteria for the trial. In this way, the clinical trial comes to the patient, rather than the patient and their doctor hunting laboriously for the right clinical trial.
“Giving more patients access to novel therapies is a critical part of providing high-quality cancer care. At US Oncology Research, we want every patient to have appropriate access to novel therapies and treatment strategies. There will be important advances in the care of patients with cancer in the next several years and we are committed to ensuring patients have the opportunity to participate in trials that might offer them improved outcomes,” said Michael Seiden, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer, The US Oncology Network.
“Through Cure Forward’s services, our hope is that new patients will find their way into practices within The US Oncology Network and gain exposure to US Oncology Research trials,” said Martin Naley, CEO of Cure Forward. “We are pleased to work with US Oncology Research on this collaboration, which could boost patient participation in clinical research and bring new therapies to more patients sooner.”
About Cure Forward
Cure Forward is a patient activation company bringing together science, community and education, giving patients unprecedented ability to utilize their molecular test data. Through the company’s website, patients can connect with relevant information, treatment options, and other similar patients. Cure Forward makes personalized healthcare accessible and approachable for patients and caregivers, activating their potential for cure or action against their disease. Cure Forward was incubated and
launched by Apple Tree Partners, a leading healthcare venture capital firm headquartered in New York City. For more information, visit www.cureforward.com.
About US Oncology Research
Supported by McKesson Specialty Health and The US Oncology Network, US Oncology Research draws from a network of experienced investigators and dedicated clinical staff who specialize in oncology clinical trials. US Oncology Research serves nearly 60 research sites and approximately 160 locations managing about 225 active trials at any given time. Physicians in the research network have enrolled more than 60,000 patients in more than 1,400 trials since inception in 1992 and have played a role in more than 50 FDA-approved cancer therapies, nearly one-third of all cancer therapies approved by the FDA to date. For more information visit www.usoncology.com/oncologists.