Recipient: Dr Paul Wood
Institute: ANZCHOG
Funding: $61,420 July 2018 to June 2024
Clinical trial for solid tumor treatment efficacy
A clinical trial to test drug efficacy in paediatric, adolescent and young adult patients with solid tumours including Neuroblastoma, Osteosarcoma and Malignant Rhabdoid Tumour/Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumours.
Children, adolescents and young adults (AYA) with refractory or relapsed solid tumours such as osteosarcoma, neuroblastoma and malignant rhabdoid tumours face five-year survival rates less than 20 per cent. Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of the international research community, little progress has been made to improve this dismal outcome.
Behind the science: Dr Paul Wood
However, exciting laboratory research in Victoria has demonstrated that exposure of cells to a new drug called panobinostat stops cancer cell growth.
The NORTH Trial will test the effect of panobinostat on those types of childhood and AYA cancers that have extremely poor outcomes.
The NORTH clinical trial will open at ten Australian and New Zealand children’s cancer hospitals and five Australian adult hospitals giving all paediatric and AYA patients access to the latest, innovative treatments while offering real hope to those with these deadly cancers.
Funding from The Kids’ Cancer Project enables quality assurance activities to be undertaken, to ensure this trial is conducted in compliance with the protocol, with Good Clinical Practice and the applicable regulatory requirements.