ALK Positive Will Be Funding Two New Clinical Trials!
November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, which is a good time to reflect on our successes as an organization. In 2020, we were excited to announce that the ALK Positive/LUNGevity Research Fund will be funding clinical trials for the first time. It means that the money we have donated and raised is going directly toward patient studies that have the potential to extend our own lives.
First, we are funding a study of Lorlatinib plus an experimental SHP2 inhibitor at Massachusetts General Hospital and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. This study hopes to show the Lorlatinib/SHP2 inhibitor combination is safe and effective in extending the duration of Lorlatinib response. The SHP2 inhibitor targets ALK-inhibitor resistance outside of the ALK domain.
The second study we are funding is a vaccine that has been developed to target ALK. It will be recruiting at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, also in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. In combination with other medications, the purpose of the vaccine is to direct the immune system to attack ALK-positive lung cancer.
The studies that we support through our fundraising efforts are carefully selected from a group of proposals submitted by top international ALK researchers. LUNGevity provides vital support by guiding a selection process that is thorough and fair.
We are currently fundraising for a new round of grants to be selected and awarded in 2021. Please consider the ALK Positive Research Fund as the holiday seasons approach. The money that you give to the ALK Research Fund will be used to discover and evaluate new treatments that may directly benefit you, along with future generations of ALK-positive patients.
Clinical trials play an important role in the long-term survival of many lung cancer patients. Below is a compilation of resources that will help ALK-positive patients and their care teams identify suitable clinical trials that are open to them.
COVID-19 & CLINICAL TRIALS
Despite the pandemic, several new trials for ALK lung cancer are recruiting for patients. Because of Covid-19, the trial teams are finding safe ways to treat participants (telemedicine, mailing meds to home, etc).
ALK LUNG CANCER CLINICAL TRIAL HELP AND SEARCHING
ALK Positive Support Group Clinical Trials Spreadsheet*
GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer - LUNGMATCH
LUNGevity Online Clinical Trial Finder
CenterWatch Clinical Trials Search
MassiveBio Clinical Trials Search https://massivebio.com/search-for-clinical-trials
General Info about ALK NSCLC Clinical Trials
As of October 2020, there are at least 31 clinical trials that are recruiting specifically for people with ALK-positive lung cancer. Many of these trials have multiple sites worldwide. Since ALK-positive lung cancer is a rare disease, it is difficult for any one oncologist to be aware of all the trials available. You can advocate for yourself and find a clinical trial that may be a good fit for you at any juncture in treatment.
*Spreadsheet developed by ALK Positive Volunteer Ellee Urban and ALK Positive in August 2018. Updated monthly and posted in the ALK Positive Support Group.
Disclaimer: these trials have been consolidated by a volunteer and should not be considered exhaustive. Listing of these trials is not an endorsement, and ALK Positive does not recommend one trial over another. Please talk with your doctor about these or any trials you are interested in.
Author: Ellee Urban