CTCA Hospitals Enrolling Myeloma, Other Cancer Patients, in TAPUR Clinical Trial
Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) recently began enrolling patients with cancer for the clinical trial study TAPUR — Targeted Agent and Profiling Utilization Registry. The trial is designed to deepen the understanding of how cancer drugs act, including those designed for myeloma, and to learn more about possible additional uses other than their approved indications by the FDA.
The ”one drug, one disease” philosophical approach has long dominated pharmaceutical thinking. Recently, however, the ”multi-target drug” principle, which contends that one drug could target and treat several diseases, has gained momentum as scientific evidence has increased.
The primary goal of the TAPUR clinical trial is to identify multi-target drugs among those employed for cancer treatment outside their current approved indications by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The study also aims to gain in-depth understanding about how molecular tests are employed to care for advanced cancer patients, as well as use the collected data to help future studies involving cancer patients.
This first clinical trial of its kind is sponsored by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). The patients will be enrolled nationwide across CTCA hospitals in Chicago, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Phoenix and Tulsa.
Patients with advanced solid tumors, multiple myelomas, or B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma who do not respond to standard anti-cancer treatments are encouraged to participate. The patients will receive experimental targeted cancer drugs and testing free of charge.
“We are excited to have CTCA join the TAPUR Study. Their national reach allows us to provide access to the trial to a diverse group of patients,” said ASCO Chief Medical Officer Richard L. Schilsky, MD, in a press release. “With TAPUR, CTCA patients have the potential to benefit from targeted therapies that have already demonstrated effectiveness in other cancer types,” he said.
“Being part of the ASCO TAPUR study is an exciting opportunity and allows us to offer eligible cancer patients access to new treatment options under investigation,” said Maurie Markman, MD, president of Medicine & Science at CTCA. “In addition, our unique and robust precision medicine program helps remove both the financial and educational barriers patients experience when accessing genomic sequencing, which determines eligibility for this landmark trial.”
As this study offers a broader opportunity for participation, other patients also might be qualified for inclusion. More information on the eligibility criteria can be obtained by emailing [email protected] or calling (888) 841-9129.
Details on TAPUR, including inclusion/exclusion criteria, may be found at (NCT 02693535).
