On Thursday, July 23, 2020, Friends of Cancer Research (Friends) hosted the second in a two-part virtual meeting series, TMB Results: The Future Use of Complex Biomarkers, that focused on the harmonization of tumor mutational burden (TMB). The event covered the results from the TMB Harmonization Project and how the project’s efforts will impact the future use of…
Friends of Cancer Research (Friends) convened its first virtual symposium on Tuesday, July 14, 2020. The symposium, The Future Use of Complex Biomarkers, convened renowned speakers from several health care sectors, who discussed the current role of biomarker testing in cancer drug discovery and treatment, and explored the future of complex biomarker development. The Tumor Mutational…
The Friends of Cancer Research (Friends) Annual Meeting 2019 began with welcoming remarks by Ellen Sigal, Chairperson & Founder of Friends, and Jeff Allen, President & CEO of Friends. In her remarks, Sigal emphasized the time and effort spent by working group members on putting together collaborative whitepapers meant to reach a level of consensus…
On Monday, October 7, 2019, Friends of Cancer Research (Friends) and Prevision Policy hosted the fifth annual BioPharma Congress. This year’s event focused on gene therapies, approval standards, new payment models, drug pricing, and the future of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). Featured speakers included Assistant to the President and Director of the Domestic Policy…
“Real-World Evidence is already here.” – Ned Sharpless, Acting FDA Commissioner On September 18, 2019, Friends of Cancer Research (Friends) and Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. hosted a meeting to present data from the Real-World Evidence (RWE) Pilot 2.0, building on the Friends RWE Pilot 1.0. The meeting focused on the opportunities and challenges associated…
Friends of Cancer Research (Friends) convened a roundtable meeting on February 6, 2019, to identify key challenges and next steps to further characterize how real-world evidence (RWE) can fill evidence gaps about the performance of approved agents used in the real-world setting, including in populations that may not have been included in initial clinical trials.…
“Patients are waiting. These therapies are potentially curative. They’re important for the field.” – Ellen Sigal On May 17, 2019, Friends of Cancer Research (Friends) and the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI) held a public meeting on “Designing the Future of Cell Therapies” to explore forward-looking opportunities in the cell therapy field. The meeting…
This year’s Friends of Cancer Research (Friends) Annual Meeting started with a morning keynote by Anna Abram the Deputy Commissioner for Policy, Planning, Legislation and Analysis at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Abram discussed many different initiatives that have been led by Friends over the years including the breakthrough therapy designation, FDA Oncology…
This year’s awardees at the 22nd Annual Cancer Leadership Awards Reception From L-R: Dr. Anthony Fauci, Dr. Richard Klausner September 21, 2018 The Hay-Adams 800 16th St NW, Washington, DC 20006 On September 21, 2018, Friends of Cancer Research (Friends) hosted the 22nd Annual Cancer Leadership Awards Reception. The yearly event brings together leaders in…
Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is becoming a commonly used tool in cancer treatment. Transparency regarding the clinical performance and utility of different NGS-based tests available will aid in clinical decision-making and facilitate improvements in patient care. The 7th Annual Blueprint for Breakthrough Forum, held by Friends of Cancer Research (Friends) and Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.,…
