Delivering measurable results in the form of new treatment options for children today

By Caitlyn Barrett, PhD – CureSearch National Director of Research & Programs

At CureSearch, our success is measured by the rate of a funded project’s progress towards the clinic and marketplace where new treatments can directly impact patients. If a project doesn’t have the potential to deliver a new treatment option to children in 3-5 years, we don’t fund it. Our strategy is unique, and we’re delivering results.

On average, only 8% of cancer preclinical projects make it out of the lab and into clinical trials ^[1], 40% of CureSearch preclinical projects- funded through our Acceleration Initiative- move into testing in patients. We’re funding the right projects and delivering new treatment options to patients in clinical trials right now.

This focus on translational research – bench to bedside – is critical. Limited federal funding generally supports basic or discovery phase research and, on the opposite end of the development timeline, late phase clinical trials are supported by biotech and pharmaceuticals. There is a significant gap in funding for those areas in between, where translational, preclinical, and early-phase clinical trials lie.

CureSearch’s funding efforts aim to fill that gap and ensure that promising new therapies make it into clinical trials. With over 60% of pediatric cancer patients participating in a clinical trial, it’s critical that innovate treatment options are available to them.

Not only are we seeing an increased success rate, but the speed to clinical trials beats the average. We see therapies identified in the lab move into clinical trials in 3.4 years compared to an average of 5.5 years ^[2]. This speed is essential as we remember that pediatric patients are often receiving decades-old treatments.

CureSearch-funded researcher Dr. Elias Sayour emphasizes this need when he notes, “While funding exists for new discoveries, little to no funding infrastructure is in place for catalysis and development of these discoveries into first-in-human clinical trials. I can think of no other foundation primarily focused on funding the developmental work necessary to bring forward new discoveries into groundbreaking clinical trials.”

These impactful results are thanks to the incredible ongoing support of our generous donors, volunteers, fundraisers, and partners. Together, we truly are making an impact for the kids who are counting on us.

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