Insights from ASCO 2023: Linking Innovation to Patient Impact

Insights from ASCO 2023: Linking Innovation to Patient Impact

This past week, I had the honor of joining more than 40,000 cancer experts in Chicago for the 58th meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). This annual event provides a forum for advocates, researchers, and practicing clinicians to exchange the most cutting-edge science and cancer breakthroughs of the year.

At this year’s meeting, I had the opportunity to speak at a breakfast event hosted by Seagen, where we were joined live by more than 80 patient advocates from across the globe. The event focused on Seagen’s latest advances in antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) technology, what they mean for people living with cancer, and how we can continue to partner with the cancer community to advance innovation.

As a cancer researcher, connecting directly with this group reinforced to me how critical it is to continue integrating the patient perspective into the clinical development journey. We can’t succeed in our mission to improve the lives of people living with cancer without open dialogue and partnership with the community we serve – this is a vital force driving the next wave of cancer innovation.

Focusing on the Patient Perspective

At Seagen, we’re not just a team of scientists and researchers – we’re also patients, caregivers, and advocates ourselves. This is why we deeply understand the importance of being heard from the earliest stages in the clinical development process.

This requires taking an extra step to understand the contributing factors that impact a patient’s life in addition to understanding the unique biology of their disease. In 2018, Seagen created a Patient Engagement Committee, which is centered around breaking down internal silos and sharing patient-focused goals across the entire company. This helps our teams translate learnings shared by patient advocates into real, tangible outputs, such as more thoughtfully designed clinical trials and patient education materials.

Maximizing Access to Care

Seagen has committed to maximizing access to cancer care through an initiative called INcreasing DivErse Participation in clinical Trials and Healthcare (InDEPTH), which was formed in 2020 in partnership with patient advocacy organizations. This committee aims to increase diverse participation in our clinical trials, which helps ensure our treatments are accessible and representative of systemically excluded populations. We focus on integrating patient insights into our trial planning, site selection and support solutions so that all patients who have an interest and are eligible to participate in our trials can do so.  

Separately, we are broadening access to our currently approved medicines, which have already reached more than 135,000 people with breast cancer, bladder cancer, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, and Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, in 17 countries and counting. We also work directly with patients to provide necessary financial assistance for our approved medicines, including co-pay assistance and access to medications at no cost, if certain requirements are met.

Innovating From Bench to Bedside

Seagen is prioritizing the development of therapies that put patients’ needs first, and we’re actively focusing our resources on new medicines that are poised to make the greatest impact. Our pipeline includes eleven new molecular entities, many of which have the potential to reach large patient populations and impact more lives. Our development programs are thoughtfully designed, and comprise multiple tumor types, novel combinations and earlier lines of treatment.

We are also advancing new technologies with the potential to generate multiple INDs before the end of 2023. These include next generation ADC technologies and other novel cancer-targeting approaches such as bispecific antibodies that stimulate the immune system to fight cancer.

And yet, there is still so much for us to do together. We’re mindful of the urgency of this moment, and that people are counting on us to do better. Innovation simply wouldn’t be possible without patient advocacy organizations that provide a vital link between cancer patients and companies like Seagen.

I walk away from this year’s ASCO meeting with deep gratitude towards the advocacy community, and I feel motivated to continue our important work. Our future looks bright in partnership, and we look forward to building it together.