A new international trial for Ewing sarcoma patients
2022-01-27
The Kids’ Cancer Project is delighted to be providing funding support for a new international clinical trial for patients diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma that will soon be available in Australia and New Zealand.
Ewing sarcoma is a rare type of cancer, arising in the bone or surrounding tissues. It can be diagnosed at any age, but occurs most frequently in children, adolescents and young adults.
There is an urgent need for new therapies for Ewing sarcoma which is most commonly found in young patients and continues to have a poor prognosis.
- Owen Finegan, CEO The Kids' Cancer Project
The Kids’ Cancer Project and the Cooper Rice-Brading Foundation are proud to be providing funding for this exciting international clinical trial, which will help children across Australia and beyond benefit from access to new treatment strategies.
INTER-EWING-1 is an international clinical trial that examines several new treatment strategies for Ewing sarcoma patients, including access to a novel agent (a tyrosine kinase inhibitor), optimising radiotherapy doses and adding “maintenance” chemotherapy at the end of other planned treatments. Importantly, patients of all ages will be eligible to enrol on this clinical trial.
Read more: Improving outcomes of newly diagnosed Ewing sarcoma.
Led by an internationally renowned team of sarcoma researchers from across Europe and the United Kingdom, Australian researchers have contributed to development of the trial, which is now in its final phases of development. The University of Birmingham will act as the International Sponsor for the INTER-EWING-1 trial, with ANZCHOG the National Sponsor for participating Australian and New Zealand paediatric and adult oncology centres. Chief Investigator Associate Professor Geoff McCowage states:
For rare cancers like Ewing sarcoma, it is vital that we work with our international colleagues to conduct clinical trials that seek to improve treatments for patients.
It is only through the combined support of all of these funders that we will be able to offer this innovative trial to patients of all ages across Australia and New Zealand.
- Associate Professor Geoff McCowage, Chief Investigator
INTER-EWING-1 will be funded by the Australian Government's Medical Research Future Fund (via Canteen), The Kids' Cancer Project and the Cooper Rice-Brading Foundation, the Australian Government's Medical Research Future Fund (through the 2021 Rare Cancers, Rare Diseases and Unmet Need MRF2015073) and ANZCHOG’s clinical collaborators Australia and New Zealand Sarcoma Association (ANZSA) supported by their philanthropic partner the GPA Andrew Ursini Charitable Fund.
Learn more: Alec’s story - behind the cheeky smile.
ANZCHOG’s philanthropic partners provide vital co-funding to enable this important trial to open. Funding from The Kids’ Cancer Project and the Cooper Rice-Brading Foundation will ensure that all paediatric cancer centres throughout Australia and New Zealand can open the trial.
Read the full Press Release here.