Stand Up To Cancer, also called SU2C, is handing out grants to seven community organizations across the U.S. in hopes of boosting diversity for early-stage cancer clinical trials.
SU2C’s two-year grants are going to Chicago-based Equal Hope; Chicago-based Ingalls Development Foundation; Dallas-based Cancer Support Community North Texas; Dallas-based Feonix—Mobility Rising; Los Angeles-based Triage Center; Philadelphia-based Praise is The Cure; and Philadelphia-based The Breathing Room Foundation.
The grant recipients are closely connected to communities that are underrepresented in oncology trials, according to a Sept. 25 release from SU2C. The recipients will collaborate with four new research teams through the recently announced SU2C Diversity In Early Development Clinical Trials Program, which is sponsored by Johnson & Johnson's Janssen pharmaceutical unit.
The research teams were created to improve diversity in phase 1 and phase 2 cancer trials and come up with new approaches to connect with medically underserved communities.
FDA data from 2020 found that 73% of cancer trial participants were white, 14% were Asian, 6% were Hispanic and 5% were Black.
“We strongly feel that by making these important connections between our research teams and organizations embedded in, and trusted by, the key communities we hope to reach, we can amplify our research and begin to meaningfully address cancer disparities," said Julian Adams, Ph.D., SU2C’s chief science officer.