Latest news with #SouthamptonClinicalTrialsUnit
Business Wire
20 hours ago
- Health
- Business Wire
ClearNote Health Avantect ® Pancreatic Cancer Test Enters Patient Enrollment Phase of Groundbreaking UK Study Targeting High-Risk Patients
SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- ClearNote Health, a company focused on improving early detection for some of the deadliest cancers, today announced initiation of patient enrollment for a landmark clinical study utilizing its Avantect ® Pancreatic Cancer Test. Sponsored by University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, the prospective, multicenter study seeks to improve early detection of pancreatic cancer in individuals recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. With up to 15,000 patient participants, it will be the largest study of its kind. "We're thrilled to be part of this transformative study that could redefine how pancreatic cancer is detected and managed for patients at high risk due to a recent diabetes diagnosis," said Samuel Levy, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer at ClearNote Health. Patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes are up to eight times as likely to develop pancreatic cancer as the general population. 1 In some of these cases, the diabetes symptoms may be caused by cancer affecting the function of the pancreas, which is responsible for insulin production. The new Surveillance of pAncreatic health aFter diabEtes Diagnosis (SAFE-D) study is led by Zaed Hamady, consultant pancreatic cancer surgeon at University Hospital Southampton. The single-blind, randomized controlled study will be conducted by researchers at the Southampton Clinical Trials Unit (CTU), based at the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom. The study will provide additional prospective validation data of the Avantect test and help identify early pancreatic cancer signals where present in this high-risk population. 'New onset diabetes has been linked to a six- to eight-fold increase in pancreatic cancer risk,' said Mr. Hamady. 'This patient group provides a valuable opportunity to better understand the exact relationship between these diseases and further validate ClearNote Health's blood-based Avantect Pancreatic Cancer Test, which has the potential to benefit thousands of people in the UK.' Dr. Victoria Goss, Head of Early Diagnosis and Translational Research at the Southampton Clinical Trials Unit, emphasized the study's community-focused approach. 'We recognize that access to healthcare and clinical trials is often uneven,' she said. 'By conducting the SAFE-D study through local research hubs and community hospitals, we aim to make early cancer detection research more inclusive and equitable.' 'We are proud to sponsor this cutting-edge study, which holds tremendous potential to improve outcomes for patients facing this devastating disease,' said Dr. Mikayala King, Research and Development Governance, Quality Assurance and Sponsorship Manager at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust. 'Our collaboration with ClearNote and the CTU builds on a strong foundation of excellence in cancer research.' The Avantect Pancreatic Cancer Test is an innovative blood test designed for individuals at elevated risk of pancreatic cancer — particularly those over age 50 who are newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, individuals with a family history of the disease, or those with a genetic predisposition. The test analyzes the epigenomic biomarker 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) in cell-free DNA, combined with other genomic data, to detect pancreatic cancer at its earliest and most treatable stages. Unlike conventional methods, ClearNote's approach provides a deeper understanding of the underpinnings of cancer development to inform the next steps in a patient care pathway. 'Early detection is the key to saving lives from the deadliest cancers,' said Samuel Levy, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer at ClearNote Health. 'We intend to demonstrate that the Avantect test can identify pancreatic cancer in stages I and II, and we're thrilled to be part of this transformative study that could redefine how pancreatic cancer is detected and managed for patients at high risk due to a recent diabetes diagnosis.' For more information on the SAFE-D study, please visit For more information on the Avantect Pancreatic Cancer Test, please visit About ClearNote Health ClearNote Health is a privately held company dedicated to improving early detection and monitoring for some of the deadliest forms of cancer. Developed by scientists in the Stephen Quake laboratory at Stanford University, the company's patented core Virtuoso™ epigenomics platform builds on the latest advances in artificial intelligence and bioinformatics to measure active biological differences between cancer and healthy cells in a blood sample. The company's highly sensitive, noninvasive Avantect® Pancreatic and Ovarian diagnostic tests are designed to identify cancers in high-risk patient populations far earlier than conventional approaches, when patients are most likely to benefit from treatment. ClearNote Health's headquarters and CLIA-certified, CAP-accredited laboratory are located in San Diego. For more information, visit or follow the company on LinkedIn. References 1. Chari ST, Leibson CL, Rabe KG, Ransom J, de Andrade M, Petersen GM. Probability of pancreatic cancer following diabetes: a population-based study. Gastroenterology. 2005 Aug;129(2):504-11. doi:10.1016/
BBC News
30-04-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Trial gives new hope for patients with asbestos-linked cancer
For the first time researchers in Southampton have used a drug to slow the growth of an asbestos-linked is an aggressive cancer that forms in the lining of the lungs or abdomen and is linked to breathing in or ingesting dangerous asbestos have said the breakthrough gives new hope to patients who have exhausted traditional treatments, and could give them more time with their loved Gareth Griffiths, director of the Southampton Clinical Trials Unit and co-lead of the trial, called it "a significant step forward". James Fox, from Dorset, was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2018 and given less than a year to tried other treatment options, he was offered the chance to join the new drug trial, and said the results had been an architect, in the 70's and 80's he was exposed to asbestos, which has now been linked to his aggressive cancer, with only 5% of those diagnosed surviving for five years or Fox said: "I've had seven really good years and been able to enjoy life almost to the full so that's wonderful. "So far it's been almost a miracle in my case." The trial was run by researchers at the University of Leicester and the Cancer Research UK Southampton Clinical Trials Unit, with funding provided by the charity Asthma + Lung the NERO trial, it looked at a class of drug known as PARP inhibitors, which work by blocking the repair of damaged DNA in cancer cells, thereby causing the cancer cells to inhibitors have already been shown to improve the survival of patients with some types of breast and ovarian cancers. A previous study had also shown that mesothelioma does respond to this type of drug, but more evidence was needed as to whether it could improve outcomes for 11 hospitals across the UK, 88 patients whose mesothelioma treatment had stopped working took part in the trial. 'Enormous hope' Those given a PARP inhibitor called niraparib were found to have a 27% reduction in the risk of the cancer progressing or death. This delayed the worsening of mesothelioma by an average of 1.5 months compared to those receiving the standard of care treatments, with a number of patients seeing a much longer period of time where their cancer was being Griffiths said: "We have shown for the first time that this kind of drug can improve progression-free survival for mesothelioma patients compared with their usual treatment in the NHS. "This gives enormous hope to those patients and their families and means we can now carry out further research to find out more about how these treatments could be tailored and enhanced to stimulate an even better response in more people." For Mr Fox, who has five grand children, the treatment has surpassed all his expectations."It's dramatic, the improvement, I don't think this could have possibly happened without this particular drug, without being offered it. "It must be the drug that's been keeping me fit and alive, so I'm very grateful for that." You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
14-04-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Skin cancer patients could join Southampton vaccine project
Patients with advanced skin cancer could be fast-tracked to take part in a "revolutionary" trial of a new cancer needle-free injection boosts the immune system's response and helps it attack and recognise cancer cells to help stop the disease trial is being coordinated by the Southampton Clinical Trials Unit, which is based at the city's university, and is aiming to expand the number of patients able to take is the fifth most common cancer in the UK and accounts for about 4% of all new cancer cases but research shows it is on the rise. The NHS will work with Oxford-based life sciences company Scancell to widen access for patients at seven sites across England, including in Southampton, with the first patients set to be referred in work is being done as part of the NHS's Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad (CVLP), a trial to help find treatments for patients at their nearest participating NHS Paul Thomas, 63, from New Milton, Hampshire, was first diagnosed with advanced skin cancer in 2017 and the disease kept returning following was put on the trial in July and said he felt lucky to be included."Thankfully I was still quite fit and since I've been on it, my tumours have all shrunk. Every time I go for a scan they seem to be shrinking, which is very exciting," Mr Thomas said."I'm really hoping for total eradication of my cancer, as opposed to being put in remission and I'm feeling optimistic." Potential participants first need a blood test to determine their tissue type. It looks at genes that control how the immune system works which varies from person to Gareth Griffiths, director of the Southampton Clinical Trials Unit, said: "We hope that by being part of this ground-breaking programme we can help to increase referrals for this trial and give more patients with advanced melanoma access to new, potentially life-saving treatments." You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Mum among those helping researchers spot the signs of skin cancer returning
A mum diagnosed with skin cancer after a chance encounter is helping Southampton researchers confirm if a pioneering blood test could spot signs of melanoma returning faster than regular scans. The Southampton Clinical Trials Unit is running a Cancer Research UK-funded trial for patients in Hampshire and Dorset to discover if a simple blood test can tell doctors at a very early stage if the melanoma is back, even if a scan looks normal. Among those taking part is Karen Dickinson, who was at a routine appointment for her arthritic knee when her osteopath pointed out an irregular looking mole on her lower back. READ MORE: The 57-year-old IT manager went to see her GP who referred her for tests which revealed that Karen had melanoma – the most serious form of skin cancer. It had spread to her lymph nodes. Karen, who had surgery to remove the mole, said: "It was such a shock. I had noticed the mole and wondered if it was slightly darker. I had decided to keep an eye on it, but when my osteopath pointed it out and said I should get it checked sooner rather than later, I went straight to my GP. "It all just happened so fast. They had removed it and diagnosed me with skin cancer all within a few weeks. "I had no idea how serious melanoma was, and you do worry that you could die. Telling my husband Stephen and my two girls Chelsea and Alex was hard. Having cancer has changed my outlook on life. "You do worry it might come back, but it absolutely doesn't define who I am. It's made me prioritise my time and not take my health for granted anymore. My time is precious, and I value what is most important to me more than ever." Karen is one of 50 people to sign up to the DETECTION-2 clinical trial which aims to prevent people having unnecessary treatment if their cancer is unlikely to return. On the NHS, patients are currently offered a one-year preventative drug treatment aimed at reducing the risk of recurrence. But with this new blood test, it could be possible to identify patients most at risk so that further treatment is only given to those who really need it.
