Irish patients will now have access to cutting edge oncology treatments as part of early phase clinical trials thanks to a groundbreaking collaboration between Irish clinicians and a global early stage research company.

 

A collaboration between the Mater Hospital, University College Dublin and the START Center for Cancer Research, based in San Antonio, Texas, START Dublin was officially opened on October 14 by Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, Paschal Donohoe.

 

While Irish clinical trial participation in global oncology trials is continuing to grow, START Dublin is Ireland’s first dedicated early phase oncology clinical trials unit.

 

START Dublin will offer patients with advanced cancer the opportunity to participate in cutting edge research and enhance the availability of new cancer drugs, according to consultant oncologist Dr Austin Duffy, who is the director of research and principal investigator in START Dublin. Dr Duffy said the new unit will greatly expand access to breakthrough cancer drugs at the earliest stages of research. 

 

“We hope to offer patients access to new and promising drugs years before they might otherwise become available.”

Dr Duffy will initially be supported by a team of seven in START Dublin. The goal is to enrol approximately 50 patients onto trials within the first year of its operation, eventually reaching 300 patients.

 

“START is a global network that is getting bigger all the time and they are the number one phase I trial company. The ultimate aim is to help patients and the goal is to find out how the drug works and what are the side-effects,” he explained.

Some Irish patients with advanced cancers have travelled abroad to access groundbreaking oncology drugs in the past – Dr Duffy said the hope is that this will no longer be necessary. 

 

“Most of the studies will be suitable for patients who have already been treated with one or multiple rounds of treatments. They can talk about it with their doctors and they may decide not to participate in the trial but at least they have the option without getting on an aeroplane.”

 

The START network has over 500 active studies ongoing across its three centres in the US and five centres in Europe partnering with over 150 pharmaceutical companies.