GSK Seeks Ideas for Improving Life in Myeloma Community
A new initiative by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is seeking project proposals that will address key needs for people in the multiple myeloma community.
Submissions for the Target the Future Think Tank Challenge are open until Feb. 11. Anyone in the community, including patients, caregivers, researchers, clinicians, and advocates, all are welcome to submit ideas through an online portal. The winning idea will receive a grant of £70,000 (about $94,000).
The Think Tank Challenge is part of GSK’s broader Target the Future initiative, a multiyear effort to address these key needs.
“We’ve seen significant innovation in the development of new therapies for multiple myeloma during the past two decades, yet patients still face significant challenges, including access to care, emotional distress and disparities in outcomes among certain populations,” Tania Small, vice president, global medical oncology franchise head at GSK, said in a press release.
Working with patients and caregivers, GSK has identified four areas of unmet need within the multiple myeloma community. One is a need to understand treatment options; although many treatments are available, it is often difficult to navigate the complexities of figuring out which treatments are right for an individual and when best to administer them.
Another need is finding care, as travel restrictions or location can make it hard to access care. A third need is addressing disparities and inequities in resource access to give the best possible care.
The final identified need was relieving the disease’s emotional burden, finding ways to manage the stress of living with the condition, and navigating care, both for the patient and their caregivers.
Entries for the Think Tank Challenge will be judged based on how well they are likely to address these needs, as well as on other criteria like the idea’s novelty and feasibility. The submissions will be reviewed by “a multidisciplinary advisory group comprised of people personally and professionally connected to the multiple myeloma community,” according to GSK.
“As part of our ongoing commitment to the myeloma community, we connected with patients and caregivers to identify some of the community’s key challenges, and now, we’re calling on innovative minds around the world to contribute potential solutions to help address these issues,” Small said. “Together, we can accelerate ideas that will make a positive and meaningful impact for patients with multiple myeloma.”
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