Category: Friends Public Meeting

Friends of Cancer Research (Friends) held our 2024 Annual Meeting on November 12th in Washington, D.C. The meeting was a culmination of the collaborative efforts of scientists, clinicians, advocates, and policymakers to develop innovative solutions to challenges in oncology drug development. The meeting featured two keynote conversations with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Robert Califf and Director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Kimryn Rathmell, and panels discussing three topics: interim OS evaluations, pragmatic trials in the post-marketing setting, and incorporating ctDNA in prospectively designed trials.

On May 6th, Friends of Cancer Research and Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy hosted a public meeting, “Unlocking Complex Cell-Based Therapies,” to discuss innovative frameworks and proposals for enhancing the safety, expansion, and activity of the next generation of cell-based gene therapies. Panels addressed operational and biological challenges to advancing cell and gene therapies, novel approaches to clinical trials, the expansion of cell therapies for solid tumors, and included patient insights and experiences with these complex therapies.

On February 15th, Friends of Cancer Research hosted a virtual public meeting, “Enhancing Diversity in Clinical Trials: Implementation of Diversity Plans,” emphasizing the importance of ensuring diverse representation in clinical trials to promote health equity, minimize biases, and foster holistic approaches in scientific research.

On September 11, 2023 Friends of Cancer Research hosted a public meeting, “Supporting the Use of RWD in Oncology Drug Development”, in Washington, DC. The meeting included a presentation of findings from the Friends Real-world Response (rw-Response) Pilot and two panel discussions focused on the regulatory implications for use of RWD and RWE in oncology drug development.