Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center – Jefferson Health & Sarah Cannon Research Institute Announce Cancer Drug Development Collaboration

Collaboration between Early Phase Research Leader, Sarah Cannon Research Institute and the NCI-Designated Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center – Jefferson Health to Enhance Clinical Trial Offerings & Expand Phase 1 Research Capabilities

PHILADELPHIA & NASHVILLE, Tenn.--()--Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center – Jefferson Health (SKCC) and Sarah Cannon Research Institute (Sarah Cannon) announced today a unique collaboration to advance clinical research through an expanded early phase drug development program and investigator initiated trials, leveraging the strengths of each. The organizations will combine expertise in drug development and research support services, which will expand the menu of clinical trials to patients across the Delaware Valley and beyond. Additionally, Sarah Cannon will provide SKCC-designed clinical trials in sites within their national network.

“By combining the strengths of SKCC and Sarah Cannon’s robust cancer programs, we are bringing together experts who share a mission to advance cancer research so that patients will have greater access to the latest treatment options that focus on personalized care,” said Karen E. Knudsen, PhD, Director of the NCI-designated Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center – Jefferson Health. “We are excited to form a strategic partnership that will accelerate drug development both nationally and globally, with the goal of impacting a larger population of patients seeking new therapies.”

Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center – Jefferson Health is one of only 70 NCI-Designated Centers in the United States. Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, the academic medical center for the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, recently ranked as a top 20 hospital by U.S. News & World Report in 2017-2018 for cancer care. Led by Dr. Knudsen, SKCC has distinguished itself nationally through practice-changing discoveries which are rapidly implemented into clinical trials. At present, approximately 20% of Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center patients take advantage of advanced care options through clinical trials.

Sarah Cannon pioneered the first community-based drug development program in the United States and has grown to become a global leader in early phase research as well as in community-based cancer care. The organization has conducted more than 300 first-in-human studies and has been a clinical trial leader in the majority of approved cancer therapies over the last decade. Through its network of research sites, Sarah Cannon serves thousands of patients annually in clinical trials, including through its drug development units in Nashville, Tenn., Sarasota, Fla., Denver, Colo., and London, England.

“At Sarah Cannon, we are focused on offering patients cutting-edge cancer therapies closer to home – a commitment shared by our esteemed colleagues at SKCC,” said Howard A. "Skip" Burris, III, MD, President and Chief Medical Officer at Sarah Cannon. “Together, this collaboration will make a greater impact on the field of cancer research through the synergy of our scientific and operational expertise.”

In addition to the collaboration in clinical research, SKCC and Sarah Cannon will work together to advance blood cancer care through Sarah Cannon’s Blood Cancer Network (BCN). The BCN is comprised of individual programs that have long been recognized as leaders in blood cancer patient care and outcomes. By joining Sarah Cannon’s network, programs such as SKCC are committed to delivering the highest level of quality standards, infrastructure, training and research to provide an unparalleled experience for patients seeking blood cancer treatment. Sarah Cannon is also one of the world’s largest providers of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), performing more than 1,000 transplants per year.

About Jefferson Health

Jefferson Health, home of Sidney Kimmel Medical College, is reimagining health care in the greater Philadelphia region and southern New Jersey. Jefferson’s dedicated team of doctors, nurses, health professionals and staff provides a range of primary to highly-specialized care through 14 hospitals (three Magnet®-designated for nursing excellence), more than 50 outpatient and urgent care locations, the NCI-designated Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Magee Rehabilitation and the JeffConnect® telemedicine program. Jefferson’s academic health center, Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals, Inc., is recognized by US News & World Report as #16 on the 2017-18 Best Hospitals Honor Roll. Jefferson Health’s mission is to improve the health of those patients and communities it is privileged to serve through safe, effective, equitable, compassionate care.

About Sarah Cannon Research Institute

Sarah Cannon Research Institute is the research arm of HCA Healthcare’s global cancer institute, Sarah Cannon. Focused on advancing therapies for patients, it is one of the world’s leading clinical research organizations conducting community-based clinical trials throughout the United States and United Kingdom. Sarah Cannon’s network of strategic sites includes more than 275 physicians who engage in research. The organization has led more than 300 first-in-man clinical trials since its inception in 1993, and has been a clinical trial leader in the majority of approved cancer therapies over the last 10 years. Additionally, Sarah Cannon offers management, regulatory, and other research support services for drug development and industry sponsors as well as strategic investigator sites through its contract research organization (CRO), Sarah Cannon Development Innovations. For more information, visit sarahcannon.com.

Contacts

Sarah Cannon Research Institute
Gabrielle Hannafan
Director, Marketing & Communications
Gabrielle.hannafan@sarahcannon.com
or
Samantha Maxwell
Senior Manager, Marketing & Communications
Samantha.maxwell@sarahcannon.com
or
SKCC
Gail Benner
Media Relations Manager
gail.benner@jefferson.edu

Contacts

Sarah Cannon Research Institute
Gabrielle Hannafan
Director, Marketing & Communications
Gabrielle.hannafan@sarahcannon.com
or
Samantha Maxwell
Senior Manager, Marketing & Communications
Samantha.maxwell@sarahcannon.com
or
SKCC
Gail Benner
Media Relations Manager
gail.benner@jefferson.edu