Labcorp and Community Clinical Oncology Research Network Collaborate to Assess Social and Economic Impacts of Disparities in Cancer Care
Labcorp (NYSE: LH) has partnered with Community Clinical Oncology Research Network (CCORN) to tackle disparities in precision medicine for cancer patients. The collaboration includes a patient registry, PREFER, aimed at enrolling up to 2,500 patients with advanced solid-tumor cancer starting September 1, 2021. This registry will collect clinical data to inform future cancer trials, enhancing diversity in oncology research. The joint effort also involves creating a biobank for real-world evidence, crucial for improving patient recruitment and understanding disparities in cancer treatment.
- Collaboration with CCORN aims to enhance diversity in oncology clinical trials.
- PREFER registry to enroll up to 2,500 patients, potentially increasing relevant data on cancer disparities.
- Creation of a biobank to aid in understanding and addressing disparities in cancer treatment and outcomes.
- Less than 5% of cancer patients currently participate in clinical trials, highlighting ongoing access issues.
- Historical underrepresentation of diverse populations in drug development may persist despite new initiatives.
Labcorp (NYSE: LH), a leading global life sciences company, and Community Clinical Oncology Research Network, LLC (CCORN), a leading research organization, today announced their collaboration to better understand the impact of disparities in precision medicine for people with cancer. Information gathered from a patient registry and biobank will be used to help design future cancer clinical trials in diverse populations.
Photo courtesy of Labcorp
“Labcorp and CCORN are joining forces to ensure oncology clinical research reaches community oncology practices serving individuals from diverse populations who are living with cancer,” said Prasanth Reddy, M.D., MPH, FACP, Labcorp’s senior vice president and head of oncology. “While progress has been made to improve outcomes in cancer medicine, especially over the past two decades, current standards of care remain woefully inadequate, due in part to a lack of access and diversity in clinical trials, as well as limited access to advanced diagnostic testing. Advanced diagnostic testing offered by Labcorp, much like genomic sequencing, is critical to ensure the right drug reaches the right patient at the right time in their cancer journey. The PREFER (PRospective rEgistry oF advanced stage cancER) patient registry will provide key insights derived from clinical and lab data on the unmet needs among people with cancer from diverse populations, helping us reduce the impact of health care disparities and fully realize the power of precision medicine for these patients.”
Patient registries are observational study methods used to collect standardized information about a group of patients who share a condition or experience. PREFER will enroll up to 2,500 patients with advanced solid-tumor cancer from multiple sites across the United States beginning Sept. 1, 2021. OmniSeq INSIGHTsm, a comprehensive genomic and immune-profiling, tissue-based test that incorporates next-generation sequencing technology, will be used to help identify the prevalence of actionable biomarkers and driver mutations that are unique to different ethnicities.
As a part of their collaboration, Labcorp and CCORN will also create a biobank, enabling the broader oncology community to access real-world evidence and identify the source of disparities. Information from the biobank and patient registry could prove useful in improving the design of oncology clinical trials, assist in patient recruitment efforts, and help encourage the expansion of genomic profiling testing in diverse populations.
“Diverse populations already suffer from a lack of access to adequate cancer diagnosis and treatment, including reduced screening rates and staging at diagnosis, along with the financial challenges people often face following a diagnosis of cancer,” said Dr. Kashyap Patel, founder and Chairman of CCORN, President of the Community Oncology Alliance and CEO of the Carolina Blood and Cancer Care. “Drug development processes have been relatively unsuccessful in reflecting demographic diversity in clinical trials, which further contributes to disparities in care and outcomes for those groups. It’s imperative that we determine how and why disparities occur, and this collaboration with Labcorp will be a major step in this regard.”
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines recommend and position clinical trials as a treatment option for cancer, yet less than
Additionally, a 2020 American Association for Cancer Research report on cancer disparities estimated that
About CCORN (Community Clinical Oncology Research Network)
CCORN is a startup company founded by a visionary team of oncologists with a collective research experience stretching over three decades and over 100 publications, and presentations at both national and international levels. Their mission is to close the widespread disparities in cancer burden, cancer care and precision medicine.
About Labcorp
Labcorp is a leading global life sciences company that provides vital information to help doctors, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, researchers, and patients make clear and confident decisions. Through our unparalleled diagnostics and drug development capabilities, we provide insights and accelerate innovations to improve health and improve lives. With more than 70,000 employees, we serve clients in more than 100 countries. Labcorp (NYSE: LH) reported revenue of
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