In this interview Janet Manzo, Executive Director of the Ontario Cancer Research Ethics Board, discusses…

Proven Approach to Site Selection is Attracting More Cutting-Edge Oncology Trials to Canada
12 Early-Phase Oncology Programs Started-Up in Canada Over Last 18-Months
Scimega Oncology, (www.scimega.com) the company behind the revolutionary Reverse Feasibility Program, announced it has been awarded four more cutting-edge oncology clinical trials at 35 centers across Canada, bringing the total to 12 new studies in the last 18-months.
This quarter, a Phase 3 study will be opened at 10 Canadian cancer centers to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a developmental stage, radio-pharmaceutical imaging agent designed to detect prostate cancer in men with biopsy-proven low-grade prostate cancer.
Parallel to that, a Phase 1b study is being launched at five centers to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of a novel FRα-targeting antibody-drug conjugate in adults with ovarian cancer. A Phase 2 sister trial also opened at 10 centers to evaluate the efficacy of the same ADC compound.
The fourth trial is a Phase 2 study of a small molecule, selective inhibitor of HER2 in patients with pre-treated HER2+ breast carcinoma. This study will also be opened at 10 cancer centers across the country.
In the last year and half alone, the Reverse Feasibility Program has attracted 12 early phase oncology clinical trials to Canada – a region that has often been overlooked by drug developers. Several of these trials would not have included Canada had it not been for the program’s unique ability to rapidly identify the most highly motivated investigators.
“The global focus on targeted therapeutics, such as antibody drug conjugates, selective small molecule inhibitors, cancer vaccines, as well as immuno-oncology and advances in imaging technology is evidence of cancer’s increasing impact on our society”, said Dr. Luc Daigneault, Director of Clinical & Scientific Affairs for Scimega. “Canada’s scientific community has much to offer oncology drug developers and the Reverse Feasibility Program provides the missing piece to unlock superior clinical trial performance.”
The success of the Reverse Feasibility Program is a result of an initiative started over seven years ago, when Scimega realized that the key to unlocking Canada’s potential was to understand what drove enrolment. In other words, to understand what investigators and their patients were looking for.
“We are proud to help position Canada as a key player in the successful development of cutting-edge oncology therapeutics,” said Denise Deakin, President & co-founder of Scimega Oncology. “Not only are these novel studies highly sought out by Canadian oncologists, but they also provide a newfound sense of hope for Canadian cancer patients.”
ABOUT SCIMEGA ONCOLOGY
Scimega Oncology is a Canadian-based clinical research organization (CRO) focused exclusively on attracting cutting edge oncology clinical trials to Canada. We play a vital role in connecting sponsors developing novel cancer compounds with highly motivated investigators across Canada.
By nurturing privileged relationships with a network of internationally renowned investigators, and by assembling a team of oncology clinical operations experts, we have been able to consistently exceed sponsors’ study start-up and enrolment timeline objectives.
ABOUT THE REVERSE FEASIBILITY PROGRAM
The Reverse Feasibility Program is designed to leverage privileged relationships with top performing oncology sites in Canada. We continuously survey the needs and interests of Canadian investigators and match them to the study expansion needs of U.S. biotech sponsors. This customized approach results in start-up times that are routinely 50% faster than the industry average.
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