Cure51 has announced the UK launch of the Rosalind study, a groundbreaking initiative already underway in other parts of Europe that aims to unlock the secrets of exceptional cancer survivors.
The UK phase, to be conducted in collaboration with Cambridge University Hospitals and seven other top UK-based institutions, has been approved the NHS Health Research Authority (HRA). The study aims to decode the biological factors behind long-term cancer survival and unlock insights that could pave the way for more effective cancer treatments.
The Rosalind study will focus on three of the most aggressive cancer types: extensive stage small cell lung cancer, brain cancer glioblastoma, and metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
Researchers intend to gather tumor samples from over 1,000 exceptional responder patients, who are among the top 3 per cent of patients in these indications in terms of cancer survival. The aim is to identify the biological factors that underpin exceptional survival.
Cure51 has developed a multi-layered data hub to analyse the biological features of these cancer super-survivors, to discover novel therapeutic targets on which to base potentially transformative new treatments.
Nicolas Wolikow, CEO and Co-Founder of Cure51, said: “This is a pivotal step in the Rosalind study, as our first and largest partnership in the UK, advancing our mission to identify what sets cancer survivors apart. This work is made possible due to the support of the eight leading UK hospitals and institutions, all united in the goal of defeating cancer.”
Dr. Thankammah Ajithkummar, Consultant Clinical Oncologist at Cambridge University Hospitals, added: “With nearly 400,000 new cancer diagnoses annually in the UK, understanding why some patients achieve remarkable survival is critical.
“Patients who appear superficially similar in terms of their age and health, and the type and stage of their cancer, can have remarkably different responses to the same treatment.
“The Rosalind study represents a promising new approach to investigating the biology of cancer survivors, aiming to uncover insights that could improve outcomes for all patients.”
“At Cure51, we are reverse engineering the cure for cancer. By leveraging technology, data and our dedicated team of computational biologists, we aim to uncover the hidden biology of miraculous survivors, to develop therapies that could one day make cancer a manageable disease for all,” noted Simon Istolainen, Chief Strategy & Scientific Network Officer, Co-Founder of Cure51.
“We are honoured to have the support of eight of the world’s most influential hospitals in cancer research.”
