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Cancer research

Accelerating Clinical Trials with 'Just in Time' Scheme for Pancreatic Cancer Patients

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Cambridge University Hospitals and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) are piloting a novel scheme to speed up clinical trials, enabling more patients to benefit from immunotherapy treatments for pancreatic cancer. The 'Just in Time' scheme aims to reduce clinical trial setup time from months to days, making precision medicine treatments more accessible and convenient for patients. This pioneering initiative is being tested in the PemOla trial, a precision medicine study exploring a combination immunotherapy using pembrolizumab and olaparib.

Key Takeaways:

  • The 'Just in Time' scheme, developed by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), aims to reduce clinical trial setup time from months to days, enabling more patients to benefit from immunotherapy treatments for pancreatic cancer.
  • The scheme is being piloted in the PemOla trial, a precision medicine study exploring a combination immunotherapy using pembrolizumab and olaparib for pancreatic cancer patients with a high genetic mutation rate.
  • The trial is being led by Dr. Pippa Corrie, consultant medical oncologist at Addenbrooke's Hospital and a researcher at the Department of Oncology, University of Cambridge.
  • Precision medicine has the potential to transform the treatment of pancreatic cancer, with immunotherapies proving effective in treating many types of cancer.
  • The 'Just in Time' scheme will enable hospitals to join trials when they know they have a patient who is eligible, reducing the time to set up a site from several months to a matter of days.
  • This could lead to more patients accessing clinical trials and being treated closer to home, giving them the best chance to respond to therapies while being surrounded by their loved ones.
  • The success of the 'Just in Time' scheme could accelerate patient recruitment, speed up clinical trial timelines, and reduce the work involved in setting up new trials.
  • It aligns with the NHS 10-year plan ambition to help more people benefit from innovative medicines by speeding up clinical trials and making them more a part of routine patient care.

Statistics:

  • Only 1 in 5 patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the early stages survive more than 5 years.
  • 5% of pancreatic cancer patients survive more than 10 years beyond diagnosis.
  • Immunotherapy has been proven effective in treating many types of cancer, but little has changed for patients with pancreatic cancer.
  • The PemOla trial is being funded by the Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation (EME) Programme, a partnership between the NIHR and the Medical Research Council, and supported by Merck, Sharp & Dohme.

Sources:

  • Cambridge University Hospitals
  • National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)
  • University of Cambridge Department of Oncology
  • Pancreatic Cancer UK
  • Cambridge Clinical Trials Unit
  • Addenbrooke's Charitable Trust
  • Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation (EME) Programme
  • Medical Research Council
  • Merck, Sharp & Dohme

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