Charities fund new clinical trial to help children with cancer

Solving Kids’ Cancer, with Neuroblastoma UK, has awarded a grant to enable the SIOPEN High-Risk Neuroblastoma Clinical Trial 2 (HR-NBL2) to open in the UK, it is anticipated to open in early 2021. This Phase 3 clinical trial will offer children in the UK, with a diagnosis of high-risk neuroblastoma, to have the same opportunities as children across Europe and take part in this pan-European study.

“As the principal funder of clinical trials for children with neuroblastoma in the UK, we are wholly committed to funding pioneering research that provides the greatest benefit and opportunities for children facing diagnosis,” said Gail Jackson, CEO Solving Kids’ Cancer, “During the Covid-19 crisis, our priority remains on supporting families affected by neuroblastoma and ensuring vital research can continue. We have continued to work with our neuroblastoma community and clinicians and collaborated with our colleagues at Neuroblastoma UK to award this important grant.”

Solving Kids’ Cancer is working with Neuroblastoma UK, and have funded the trial in the respective amounts of £434,762.40 and £175,000, to enable this trial to take place. Without this commitment of funding there would not be any available upfront clinical trials in the UK for children diagnosed with high-risk neuroblastoma and the treatment pathway would remain ‘as is’ over the next five years.

“We are delighted to join forces with Solving Kids Cancer in funding this crucial clinical research trial. As a charity, we receive no government funding - it is thanks to our generous supporters that we can provide funding of £175,000 to support this vital research, which offers real potential to develop more effective and kinder treatment for children with high-risk neuroblastoma in the UK.” Commented Tony Heddon, Chair of Neuroblastoma UK, “We are committed to ensuring that research into neuroblastoma continues beyond the coronavirus pandemic. International collaboration to understand more about this rare disease is hugely important and can help to ensure that children in the UK can have equal access to new treatment. By funding this ten-year project, we can give children across the UK a chance to access treatment which could potentially save their lives.”

Professor Andy Pearson, Chair of Solving Kids’ Cancer Scientific Advisory Board, said, "The international community is exceptionally grateful to Solving Kids’ Cancer and Neuroblastoma UK for funding SIOPEN High Risk Neuroblastoma Trial 2 in the United Kingdom. The participation of the United Kingdom in this trial is absolutely crucial for children with high-risk neuroblastoma in the UK and ultimately the inclusion of the United Kingdom in this study will have a very positive benefit for children in Europe and globally."

The trial builds on the successes of the previous High-Risk Neuroblastoma Trial 1 (HR_NBL1) pan-European study developed by SIOPEN and provides a clinical trial that ensures equal access to the very best treatments and care across the UK, and a pathway for future innovative therapies to be safely administered and studied.

Around 100 children a year in the UK are diagnosed with neuroblastoma, of which approximately half will be classified as high-risk. It is a rare and aggressive childhood cancer and the vast majority of children diagnosed are under 5, despite intensive multi-modal therapy long-term survival from the high-risk form of the disease remains around 40-50%. Solving Kids’ Cancer supports families and their children throughout their cancer journey and is committed to funding research to bring better and less toxic treatment options to the UK for children fighting this deadly disease. The charity receives no statutory funding to deliver its vital work and relies on the generosity of its passionate supporters to ensure research to inform future treatments can continue. www.solvingkidscancer.org.uk