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Melanoma Therapeutics Foundation
- Patient Information
Clinical Trials
The goal of the Melanoma Therapeutics Foundation is to translate
these advances into novel medicines for Melanoma. Key elements
must converge for our mission to be realized.
I. Ideas
We believe that the imagination of the best minds
in Melanoma should be brought together to put forth innovative
strategies for drug discovery and to rapidly translate these
discoveries into development of novel medicines to treat Melanoma
as a disease. To this end, we have recruited leading researchers
focused on Melanoma to serve on our Scientific Advisory Board,
including one of the world renowned clinical directors from
the University of Southern California and the Director of the
Comprehensive Cancer Center at UCSF.
II. Translation
A gap exists between the brightest minds in academia and commercial markets
that impede translation of promising science into therapies.
Based on its nature, academia does not focus on nor has the financial resources
to pursue the actual development of medicines.
- To remain competitive, pharmaceutical companies must focus
on medicines for highly prevalent diseases with large markets
such as lung, colon, breast and prostate cancers, leaving
Melanoma at a disadvantage.
- The Melanoma Therapeutics Foundation's strategy is to address
these elements in order to bridge this gap and to catalyze
the development of novel medicines focused at Melanoma. This
unique Translational Medicine process was developed by BAIN
and Company in cooperation with academic and business leaders
and is tailored to accelerate drug development via two approaches,
1. Assess Existing Technology – Short-Term
Approach
- We will identify shelved drug candidates from the pharmaceutical
industry and re-examine their potential using new technologies
developed and applied at UCSF. The rationale is that the
drugs shelved by the pharmaceutical industry have often undergone
extensive testing and development work for other cancer indications
to allow for their rapid approval, but have not been rigorously
tested for their effectiveness for treatment of Melanoma.
- We will use human tissue banks from patients, as well as
animal models of human Melanoma available through our Advisory
Board members at UCSF to validate the potential use of drug
candidates in Melanoma. The use of such resources is not
accessible to the pharmaceutical industry.
- We will focus on small molecule drugs which can be taken
orally and combined with existing anticancer drugs to maximize
efficacy and benefit to patients. The current drugs used
to treat Melanoma are all intravenously injected with low
effectiveness.
2. Drug Discovery and Development – View
to the Future
- The Foundation will serve as an environment for the most
innovative scientific and clinical minds to propose, critically
scrutinize and incubate strategies for tailoring high quality
drug candidates based on the genetics of Melanoma.
- To accelerate translation into actual medicines, a biotechnology
company will be formed to receive these strategies and will
focus on the rapid discovery and clinical development of
novel drug candidates. This company, Accelerated Cancer Therapeutics,
or ACT will from in the first quarter of 2007. Key to our
success is to have the right entrepreneurial spirit and the
right incentives to create another all
over again.
With this innovative concept we have already attracted an
experienced team of industry veterans with proven expertise
in discovery and development of cancer medicines. The team
is already operational and is working closely with the member
of the Scientific Advisory Board and the Board of Directors
to deliver on our founding goals and mission.
For more information on clinical trials review the following
links:
NCI clinical trials gateway http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials
NIH clinical trials gateway http://clinicaltrials.gov/
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