Latest news with #ClinicalTrials.gov
Business Upturn
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Upturn
First Ascent Biomedical and Fight Colorectal Cancer Announce Groundbreaking Study to Advance Precision Oncology for Colorectal Cancer Patients
By GlobeNewswire Published on June 6, 2025, 23:41 IST Springfield, Mo., June 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — First Ascent Biomedical (FA), an innovative biotech company specializing in transforming cancer treatment through functional precision medicine, is proud to announce a new collaboration with national nonprofit Fight Colorectal Cancer (Fight CRC) to launch a prospective feasibility study aimed at transforming colorectal cancer treatment. Funded by a $350,000 grant from Fight CRC, and spearheaded by Anjee Davis, chief executive officer, this innovative study will leverage First Ascent's cutting-edge xDRIVE tumor profiling technology to deliver rapid, personalized treatment insights for patients fighting colon cancer in Minnesota. 'Fight CRC is committed to empowering patients through innovation,' said Davis. 'This grant underscores our strategic focus on enhancing care through advanced research, particularly for those with limited treatment options.' The study, set to begin enrollment in April or May 2025, will focus on 25 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. By integrating functional drug testing, genetic analysis, and artificial intelligence, First Ascent's xDRIVE platform will provide oncologists with detailed tumor profiling data and tailored treatment options, aiming to enhance patient outcomes. Leading the clinical efforts are Hao Xie, MD, PhD, a gastrointestinal cancer specialist and precision medicine expert, and Dr. Boardman, whose work in cancer genetics and early detection has advanced the field of colorectal cancer care. Noah Berlow, PhD, First Ascent's Chief Technology Officer and the study's principal investigator, brings his expertise in AI-driven cancer research to oversee the project. Together, this team is poised to demonstrate the power of rapid, individualized tumor profiling to better understand each patient's unique cancer. 'This collaboration with Fight Colorectal Cancer is another important step in transforming how we approach cancer treatment,' said Jim Foote, founder and chief executive officer, First Ascent Biomedical. 'We are honored to be part of this effort.' The study is expected to complete enrollment within nine months and will provide actionable data to oncologists for patients requiring advanced treatment options. Patients interested in participating must be seen in Rochester, MN. Information will soon be available on Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same. GlobeNewswire provides press release distribution services globally, with substantial operations in North America and Europe.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
First Ascent Biomedical and Fight Colorectal Cancer Announce Groundbreaking Study to Advance Precision Oncology for Colorectal Cancer Patients
Springfield, Mo., June 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Ascent Biomedical (FA), an innovative biotech company specializing in transforming cancer treatment through functional precision medicine, is proud to announce a new collaboration with national nonprofit Fight Colorectal Cancer (Fight CRC) to launch a prospective feasibility study aimed at transforming colorectal cancer treatment. Funded by a $350,000 grant from Fight CRC, and spearheaded by Anjee Davis, chief executive officer, this innovative study will leverage First Ascent's cutting-edge xDRIVE tumor profiling technology to deliver rapid, personalized treatment insights for patients fighting colon cancer in Minnesota. 'Fight CRC is committed to empowering patients through innovation,' said Davis. 'This grant underscores our strategic focus on enhancing care through advanced research, particularly for those with limited treatment options.' The study, set to begin enrollment in April or May 2025, will focus on 25 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. By integrating functional drug testing, genetic analysis, and artificial intelligence, First Ascent's xDRIVE platform will provide oncologists with detailed tumor profiling data and tailored treatment options, aiming to enhance patient outcomes. Leading the clinical efforts are Hao Xie, MD, PhD, a gastrointestinal cancer specialist and precision medicine expert, and Dr. Boardman, whose work in cancer genetics and early detection has advanced the field of colorectal cancer care. Noah Berlow, PhD, First Ascent's Chief Technology Officer and the study's principal investigator, brings his expertise in AI-driven cancer research to oversee the project. Together, this team is poised to demonstrate the power of rapid, individualized tumor profiling to better understand each patient's unique cancer. 'This collaboration with Fight Colorectal Cancer is another important step in transforming how we approach cancer treatment,' said Jim Foote, founder and chief executive officer, First Ascent Biomedical. 'We are honored to be part of this effort.' The study is expected to complete enrollment within nine months and will provide actionable data to oncologists for patients requiring advanced treatment options. Patients interested in participating must be seen in Rochester, MN. Information will soon be available on CONTACT: Savanna Doud Fight Colorectal Cancer 703.548.1225 savanna@ in to access your portfolio
Forbes
3 days ago
- Health
- Forbes
Why Women's Health Research Still Lags Behind
Woman chemist testing for gender differences. The gender gap in healthcare isn't just a question of equity—it's a question of evidence. For too long, women have been excluded from clinical trials, overlooked in preclinical research, and underserved by healthcare systems. The consequences are both deeply personal and widely systemic: Women are more likely to be misdiagnosed, experience adverse drug reactions, and face delays in care. 'It's like death by a thousand paper cuts,' said Alisa Wilson, managing director at Accenture, in a recent interview. 'We're tackling this problem piecemeal, when what's needed is a holistic overhaul across the entire healthcare ecosystem.' New research from Accenture and Springboard Enterprises, 2025 State of Women's Health, sheds light on just how pervasive these gaps are—and what it will take to close them. Bias starts early and compounds over time. Preclinical research—the scientific foundation for nearly all therapies—is still dominated by male models. Animal studies, cell lines, and early-phase drug testing frequently rely on male subjects, based on the outdated assumption that male data is 'universal.' The result? Research hypotheses, safety profiles, and drug mechanisms are skewed from the start. Source: Accenture and Springboard 2025 State of Women's Health That bias continues into clinical trials. Even when women are included, they are often underrepresented or excluded from subgroup analyses. Women made up only 29% of heart attack clinical trial participants, even though heart disease is the number one killer of women globally, according to Accenture's analysis of data from 2020 to 2024. Women also represent just 60% of autoimmune trial participants, even though they make up about 80% of people with autoimmune conditions. 'There's a clear lack of sex-specific data,' said Miranda Ewald, director of programs at Springboard. 'When women are included in research, their outcomes are often not analyzed separately. That makes it impossible to understand how diseases or treatments affect them differently.' Lack of sex-specific dosing, unequal access to optimal treatments and unique challenges to ... More medication contribute to women's poorer health outcomes Even before a clinical trial is an option, women face significant hurdles in getting a diagnosis. On average, it takes up to 7 years to be diagnosed with conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) or endometriosis. These delays are often dismissed as stress, aging, or psychosomatic symptoms. Despite biological differences, drug dosing rarely accounts for sex. Amani Bright, senior program manager at Springboard, emphasizes the importance of empathy in solving this problem. 'We need decision-makers—funders, policymakers, and healthcare systems—to understand how long and frustrating the patient journey is until they are diagnosed and treated correctly. Women are being left behind because their symptoms don't fit the outdated mold.' That frustration is not limited to patients. Healthcare innovators are also encountering barriers. 'Even with strong scientific validation, women's health startups still face real hurdles—like undefined regulatory pathways and unclear reimbursement models,' said Alice Zheng, partner at Foreground Capital. 'That slows everything down.' Despite these barriers, a new wave of innovators is reimagining how healthcare can better serve women. Companies are working to correct historical research bias by designing more inclusive clinical trials, often in partnership with patient advocacy groups and underrepresented communities. They're also thinking creatively about data collection. 'We're seeing startups use virtual consent tools and culturally sensitive materials to boost trial participation,' said Bright. 'And they're considering real-world factors like language, caregiving responsibilities, and transportation needs.' But to truly accelerate progress, innovators need more support from the healthcare establishment. 'When we worked with a major life sciences client, it took two years just to integrate sex-based thinking into their R&D pipeline,' said Wilson. 'They had never considered sex differences at the discovery stage. That's how deeply ingrained the male-default model is.' Emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, offer promise in shortening the research-to-treatment gap. 'We saw how fast COVID vaccines came to market when urgency and collaboration aligned,' said Wilson. 'AI can do the same for women's health if we commit to using high-quality, inclusive data.' However, there is a caveat here as well. AI models trained on biased datasets will only perpetuate the problem. 'To leverage AI effectively, we need to ensure that data is disaggregated by sex, race, and age,' said Wilson. 'Only then can we track adverse events accurately, tailor dosage by gender, and improve safety and efficacy for all patients.' Part of the problem, all interviewees agree, is definitional. When many people hear 'women's health,' they think of reproductive health—fertility, contraception, and menopause. Those areas deserve investment, but they are just one part of a much larger picture. 'The market opportunity is not just the uterus,' said Bright. 'Women's health includes cardiovascular, autoimmune, mental health, and cognitive aging—all areas where women are differently or disproportionately impacted.' Zheng echoed this: 'If we think women's health only means OB-GYN, we're missing the big picture. Breast cancer, for example, is often called a 'solved' disease—but for women with dense breast tissue, early screening is still inadequate.' Fixing the gender gap in medicine requires systemic change. That includes: Most importantly, it requires the healthcare system to see women not as a special case, but as a default patient. The women's health gap is not a niche issue—it's a symptom of centuries of systemic neglect that continues to hinder progress in women's health innovation. When women are misdiagnosed, overlooked, or excluded from research, the entire healthcare system suffers. 'We don't need another pilot program,' said Wilson. 'We need full-scale transformation—led by research, powered by investment, and centered on the real-life experiences of women.' Advancing women's health research and innovation starts with closing the data gap—and ultimately, closing the outcomes gap.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Orion's collaborator, MSD, expands clinical development program for opevesostat to women's cancers
ORION CORPORATION INVESTOR NEWS 21 MAY 2025 at 07.30 EEST Orion's collaborator, MSD, expands clinical development program for opevesostat to women's cancers Orion's collaborator, MSD, has expanded the development program for opevestostat (MK-5684) to now include women's cancers. A new Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of opevesostat for the treatment of breast, endometrial and ovarian cancers has been posted to database. The study is not yet recruiting patients. Further information is available on A Study of MK-5684 in People With Certain Solid Tumors (study identifier: NCT06979596) MSD has global exclusive rights to opevesostat which is an oral, non-steroidal and selective inhibitor of CYP11A1 discovered and developed by Orion. MSD is currently evaluating opevesostat in several clinical trials, including two Phase 3 trials, for the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. Contact person:Tuukka Hirvonen, Investor Relations, Orion Corporation tel. +358 10 426 2721 Publisher:Orion CorporationCommunicationsOrionintie 1A, FI-02200 Espoo, Orion is a globally operating Nordic pharmaceutical company – a builder of well-being for over a hundred years. We develop, manufacture and market human and veterinary pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients. Orion has an extensive portfolio of proprietary and generic medicines and consumer health products. The core therapy areas of our pharmaceutical R&D are oncology and pain. Proprietary products developed by Orion are used to treat cancer, neurological diseases and respiratory diseases, among others. In 2024 Orion's net sales amounted to EUR 1,542 million and the company employed about 3,700 professionals worldwide, dedicated to building well-being. Orion's A and B shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Orion's collaborator, MSD, expands clinical development program for opevesostat to women's cancers
ORION CORPORATION INVESTOR NEWS 21 MAY 2025 at 07.30 EEST Orion's collaborator, MSD, expands clinical development program for opevesostat to women's cancers Orion's collaborator, MSD, has expanded the development program for opevestostat (MK-5684) to now include women's cancers. A new Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of opevesostat for the treatment of breast, endometrial and ovarian cancers has been posted to database. The study is not yet recruiting patients. Further information is available on A Study of MK-5684 in People With Certain Solid Tumors (study identifier: NCT06979596) MSD has global exclusive rights to opevesostat which is an oral, non-steroidal and selective inhibitor of CYP11A1 discovered and developed by Orion. MSD is currently evaluating opevesostat in several clinical trials, including two Phase 3 trials, for the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. Contact person:Tuukka Hirvonen, Investor Relations, Orion Corporation tel. +358 10 426 2721 Publisher:Orion CorporationCommunicationsOrionintie 1A, FI-02200 Espoo, Orion is a globally operating Nordic pharmaceutical company – a builder of well-being for over a hundred years. We develop, manufacture and market human and veterinary pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients. Orion has an extensive portfolio of proprietary and generic medicines and consumer health products. The core therapy areas of our pharmaceutical R&D are oncology and pain. Proprietary products developed by Orion are used to treat cancer, neurological diseases and respiratory diseases, among others. In 2024 Orion's net sales amounted to EUR 1,542 million and the company employed about 3,700 professionals worldwide, dedicated to building well-being. Orion's A and B shares are listed on Nasdaq in to access your portfolio
