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Emerging Opportunities to Streamline Cancer Drug Development


A new era of rapid scientific advancement in cancer research has led to the development of safe, effective, and potentially life-saving drugs for many patients who, until recently, had few treatment options. As our understanding of molecular drivers of cancer has expanded, so have opportunities to develop better and more targeted drugs. However, there is much potential for making the established methods used to evaluate these innovative therapies more efficient, potentially contributing to more affordable drugs for patients. The time is now for all constituencies involved in research and development to re-assess current processes and consider new practices to streamline drug development. The goal: ensure timely access to cost-effective drugs for all cancer patients while stimulating innovation.

In this second workshop in a series, the President’s Cancer Panel will convene leaders and stakeholders across multiple sectors to identify key actions that could transform, and potentially reduce costs of, drug development. Questions to be considered include the following:

  • What factors contribute to the clinical development costs for a given drug?
  • Could actions be taken to make cancer drug development more efficient, patient-centric, and less costly?
  • What key regulatory and legal factors affect development processes for all drugs?
  • Which clinical trial models and methods could most efficiently identify safe and effective drugs? Could more meaningful clinical trial outcomes make trials more efficient?
  • What regulatory and scientific issues are important for appropriately evaluating and approving combination therapies? 

This workshop will be co-chaired by Gary Gilliland, MD, PhD, President and Director, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Dr. Gilliland is a national leader in cancer genetics, precision medicine, and drug development. Presentations and moderated discussions among participants will inform the Panel’s recommendations in a formal report to the President of the United States after the conclusion of series workshops.

Follow the Panel on Twitter at @PresCancerPanel for updates during the workshop. Join the conversation using #CancerRxValue.

Meetings of the President’s Cancer Panel are open to the public.