NCCN Oncology Research Program Celebrates 10th Anniversary by Closing in on $20 Million...

NCCN Oncology Research Program Celebrates 10th Anniversary by Closing in on
$20 Million in Funding; Program Expands Into Developmental Therapies

The NCCN Oncology Research Program (ORP) nears the $20 million mark in total
funding and enhances its current model to include funding for therapeutics in
development as well as those already FDA-approved. The ORP draws on the
expertise of investigators at 21 of the world's leading cancer centers (NCCN
Member Institutions) in order to advance therapeutic options for patients with
cancer

FORT WASHINGTON, Pa., April 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National
Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Oncology Research Program (ORP) recently
marked its 10-year anniversary by announcing that it is close to achieving $20
million in total funding since the inception of the program. The ORP also
announced a new research model that expands their research focus into drugs in
development to complement the current model that provides funding for
FDA-approved therapies.

"NCCN is thrilled to have attained nearly $20 million in funding for research
that seeks to reduce cancer-related deaths and improve the quality of life for
patients by advancing innovative therapies through clinical trials at NCCN
Member Institutions," says William T. McGivney, Ph.D., Chief Executive
Officer, NCCN. "By expanding the program to include therapies in development,
NCCN continues to enhance its role in furthering the science of oncology by
offering a more comprehensive set of services."

The NCCN ORP is organized to obtain funding to support investigator-initiated
trials at NCCN Member Institutions that explore new avenues of clinical
investigation to answer important scientific questions. Studies evaluate
innovative combinations and sequencing regimens of drugs, mechanisms of action
of specific agents, drug resistance, and extended uses for specific agents.

In addition to developing a successful model to support research enterprises
at NCCN Member Institutions, the NCCN ORP organizes scientific advisory boards
to evaluate potential uses of promising agents and provide expert advice on
the best avenues of research to pursue.

The NCCN ORP was developed in 1999 and was initially named the Clinical Trials
Network before evolving into the Oncology Research Program in 2005. By
building a centralized clinical trials infrastructure in which supporters have
access to premier experts and investigators at 21 of the world's leading
cancer centers, NCCN looks to continue to provide patients with promising
treatment through state-of-the-art clinical research trials.

About the National Comprehensive Cancer Network
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), a not-for-profit alliance of
21 of the world's leading cancer centers, is dedicated to improving the
quality and effectiveness of care provided to patients with cancer. Through
the leadership and expertise of clinical professionals at NCCN Member
Institutions, NCCN develops resources that present valuable information to the
numerous stakeholders in the health care delivery system. As the arbiter of
high-quality cancer care, NCCN promotes the importance of continuous quality
improvement and recognizes the significance of creating clinical practice
guidelines appropriate for use by patients, clinicians, and other health care
decision-makers. The primary goal of all NCCN initiatives is to improve the
quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of oncology practice so patients can
live better lives.

The NCCN Member Institutions are: City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center,
Los Angeles, CA; Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center - Massachusetts
General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA; Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center,
Durham, NC; Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA; Huntsman Cancer
Institute at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT; Fred Hutchinson
Cancer Research Center/Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, Seattle, WA; The Sidney
Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD; Robert H.
Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, IL;
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY; H. Lee Moffitt Cancer
Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL; The Ohio State University
Comprehensive Cancer Center - James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research
Institute, Columbus, OH; Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY; Siteman
Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of
Medicine, St. Louis, MO; St. Jude Children's Research Hospital/University of
Tennessee Cancer Institute, Memphis, TN; Stanford Comprehensive Cancer Center,
Stanford, CA; University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center,
Birmingham, AL; UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, San
Francisco, CA; University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ann Arbor,
MI; UNMC Eppley Cancer Center at The Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE; The
University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX; and
Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, TN.

For more information on NCCN, please visit NCCN.org.

SOURCE National Comprehensive Cancer Network

Megan Martin, NCCN, +1-215-690-0576, martin@nccn.org