Program 12: Developmental Therapeutics

NIH RePORTER · NIH · P30 · $40,758 · view on reporter.nih.gov ↗

Abstract

Developmental Therapeutics Program Project Summary / Abstract The Developmental Therapeutics (DT) Program comprises a highly collaborative effort across consortium member institutions. It focuses on the earliest phases of bench-to-bedside preclinical and clinical evaluation of promising new anti-cancer drugs from the NCI, from DF/HCC research laboratories, and from industry. Among clinical trials, the Program focuses on disease-agnostic Phase 1 trials, many with expansion cohorts or Phase 2 components that cross cancer types. Strategically, the Program is tightly integrated as a DF/HCC “hub.” On the one hand, it aligns closely with the Center’s basic science Programs in such areas as signal transduction, DNA repair, cell cycle regulation, epigenetics, and immuno-oncology. On the other hand, it partners effectively with DF/HCC’s disease-based Programs: once early evaluation is completed to satisfaction, DT transitions drugs for later phases of development in disease-specific Programs. The Program’s 77 members (30 primary and 47 secondary) represent six DF/HCC institutions and 12 academic departments. In 2019, peer-reviewed grant funding attributed to the Program was $4.6 million in direct costs from the NCI and $0.9 million from other sponsors. During the current funding period, primary DT members published 636 cancer-relevant papers. Of these, 30% were inter-institutional, 9% were intra- programmatic, and 62% were inter-programmatic collaborations between two or more DF/HCC members. This scope of inter-Program interactions reflects DT’s role as a genuine “hub” within the Cancer Center, where the Program also hosts NCI-sponsored U54, UM1, MATCH, and other cooperative agreements for collaborative early drug development. Three Specific Aims are planned over the next CCSG funding period: (1) Design and conduct early phase clinical trials of the most promising new anti-cancer agents and combinations with safety, pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic and preliminary efficacy endpoints, with incorporation of biomarkers for drug response, resistance and toxicity; (2) Increase participation of minority and underserved populations in early phase clinical trials; and (3) Provide mentoring and career development support for early career investigators in early drug development. DF/HCC’s extensive infrastructure for transdisciplinary collaboration, clinical trial review and conduct, community engagement, biostatistics, education, and training will be instrumental in achieving these Program goals.

Key facts

NIH application ID
10768677
Project number
5P30CA006516-59
Recipient
DANA-FARBER CANCER INST
Principal Investigator
Geoffrey I. Shapiro
Activity code
P30
Funding institute
NIH
Fiscal year
2024
Award amount
$40,758
Award type
5
Project period
1997-03-10 → 2026-11-30