Cancer clinical trials receive $22m funding boost

A $22.19 million funding boost will support 14 multi-site Collaborative Cancer Clinical Trials Groups (CTGs) across the country.

The Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler MP announced the successful applicants for the 2024–2027 Support for Cancer Clinical Trials (Clinical Trials) program with funding administered by Cancer Australia.

The Australian Cancer Plan (the Plan) will guide this round of the program that is integral to delivering the plan’s objectives by ensuring targeted and innovative research investment, particularly in areas of unmet and emerging need.

It will also focus on improving clinical trial design, enhancing equitable access to trials, and accelerating the translation of research into clinical practice, directly contributing to better outcomes for Australians affected by cancer.

The program is designed to fund the development of clinical trial protocols and build sector capacity through core infrastructure funding. It fills a critical research funding gap in Australia by supporting the advancement of cancer prevention, treatment and care programs that may not attract commercial interest from industry.

It aims to improve access to optimal cancer care across Australia, particularly for people living in rural and remote areas, as well as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

The Clinical Trials program is crucial for smaller CTGs focused on rare and less common cancers, helping to build a strong pipeline of cancer clinical trials.

By addressing unmet need, including rare and less common cancers, the Clinical Trials program has increased the number and value of successful grant submissions, expanded clinical trial sites, and boosted patient recruitment, particularly in rural and remote areas through tele-trials.

The 14 successful CTGs include: Australasian Gastro-Intestinal Trials Group, Australasian Leukaemia & Lymphoma Group, Australian & New Zealand Children’s Haematology/Oncology Group, Australia New Zealand Gynaecological Oncology Group, Australia and New Zealand Sarcoma Association, Australian New Zealand Urogenital and Prostate Group, Breast Cancer Trials, Cooperative Trials Group for Neuro-Oncology, Cancer Symptom Trials, Melanoma and Skin Cancer Trials, Primary Care Collaborative Cancer Clinical Trials Group, Psycho-Oncology Co-operative Research Group, Thoracic Oncology Group Australasia, and Trans-Tasman Radiation Oncology Group.

Professor Dorothy Keefe, CEO Cancer Australia, said, “This funding aligns perfectly with the goals of the Australian Cancer Plan, which is focused on reducing the impact of cancer and improving outcomes for all Australians.”

“By supporting these clinical trials, we are advancing critical research and ensuring that innovative treatments reach those who need them most, helping to save lives and reduce disparities in cancer care across Australia.”

Image credit: iStock.com/shironosov