Michelle Stewart, Head of Research Strategy at Cure Brain Cancer Foundation
In November 2015,
we announced that Cure Brain Cancer Foundation had helped to catalyse and
provide early stage funding for GBM AGILE. This new approach to clinical trials
was brought about by a coalition of 130 of the world’s brightest minds who united
to fight glioblastoma (GBM), one of the most common and severe forms of brain
cancer.
GBM AGILE
remains the biggest global collaboration in the history of brain cancer
research, turning convention on its head to develop more effective treatments
faster and cheaper than the traditional clinical trials process.
Since then, GBM
AGILE has grown to include more than 150 clinicians and scientists with the
intention of increasing the number of potential therapeutic options, improving
the likelihood of success and potentially increasing survival for brain cancer
patients.
The GBM AGILE
team is currently in discussion with the USA’s FDA (Food and Drug
Administration) to create a process that will make it faster for a larger group
of patients to access the promising drugs that are being tested in this
clinical trial. This will be done by allowing seamless transition from Phase II
to Phase III of the trial which does not traditionally happen in the current
clinical trial format.
However, these
improvements to GBM AGILE have delayed the enrolment of patients onto the trial
by longer than had previously been hoped and announced.
The GBM AGILE
team is acutely aware of the need to fast-track research and we are working
with the group to help the trial start as soon as possible. However, all steps
must be taken to ensure GBM AGILE is safe and effective for patients.
A number of
important regulatory steps must be taken before GBM AGILE opens to patients and
once they have been addressed we will provide a further update in Q1 2017.
We, along with other
collaborators around the world, have worked tirelessly to ensure GBM AGILE will
be successful, and we thank the community and researchers for their hard work
and support in making this clinical trial a reality for Australians living with
a GBM.
There are several other important clinical trials currently underway for GBM patients in Australia, funded by Cure Brain Cancer Foundation and other sources. If you or someone you know is interested in participating in a brain cancer clinical trial, please visit www.clinicaltrials.gov.
Michelle Stewart
Head of Research Strategy, Cure Brain Cancer Foundation
Your GBM AGILE questions answered