As the first academic center with a national clinical trial network and a large and diverse patient population served through a national network of advanced cancer centers, City of Hope will offer unprecedented access to lifesaving care, novel therapies, and clinical decision-making expertise. Through the model, City of Hope operates a single centralized hub which has multiple research locations, enabling the organization to open a clinical trial across multiple states simultaneously with this centralized support. The operational efficiency of this national model reduces patient enrollment times, increases enrollment numbers and ensures patients across a wide geographic footprint have access to an extensive portfolio of leading-edge treatment options.
“Our North Star is to offer all our patients, regardless of where they live, the opportunity to participate in clinical trials, which provide them with promising new treatment options long before they become the standard of care,” said Edward S. Kim, M.D., M.B.A., FACP, FASCO, vice physician-in-chief, City of Hope National Medical Center and system director, Clinical Trials. “Whether a trial is sponsored by the NIH, by a pharmaceutical company or is studying an investigational medicine developed right here at City of Hope, the remarkable function of our new national model is the ability for a single institution to enroll patients in communities who don’t typically have access to these types of leading-edge trials. By building a single yet scalable model, we can now deliver on our vision to create access and care closer to those living with cancer.”
Typically, clinical trial models face significant limitations, including where and when a clinical trial can open, the timely enrollment of patients, available resources and on-site expertise to support the trial. City of Hope’s new model was built to support a distributed, digitally connected network of clinical trial sites. The unique structure of the model means it can accommodate rapid expansion across the U.S. without needing to overhaul core systems.
Another key differentiator of the model - it allows investigators to bring groundbreaking science to every City of Hope location, boosting the organization’s mission to make hope a reality for anyone touched by cancer or diabetes.
Building on a Legacy
For over 100 years, City of Hope has served Los Angeles communities. Today, with 37 locations across the U.S., including premier cancer centers in Orange County, Phoenix, Chicago and Atlanta, millions of Americans of diverse backgrounds are now within 90 minutes of a City of Hope site. As a legacy organization known for its powerhouse research and clinical care — the expanded footprint called for a novel approach to its clinical trial framework.
“Currently, the gap between those who can access therapeutic breakthroughs and those who can’t is widening and in many cases the issue is simply due to the zip code they reside in. Through innovation, City of Hope is removing barriers and bridging geographic divides, bringing our renowned clinical excellence closer to all patients,” said Marcel van den Brink, M.D., Ph.D., president, City of Hope Los Angeles and City of Hope National Medical Center and the Deana and Steve Campbell Chief Physician Executive Distinguished Chair. “This unique approach to clinical research, along with supportive care programs and personalized medicine, ensures every City of Hope patient can access the latest cancer advances.”
Early Success
In the first few months since launch, nine clinical trials across solid tumors and blood cancers are running at 12 City of Hope sites. With centralized support, patient enrollment is ahead of expectations and the studies are expected to reach their targets.
“We are thrilled to collaborate with City of Hope to help pioneer this leading-edge model,” said John Pagel, M.D., Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Clinical Development, Global Head of Hematology, Eli Lilly and Company. “The new centralized model saves time and resources and has potential to lead to higher quality research and contribute to our ability to rapidly advance scientific innovation that can make a meaningful difference for patients.”
A Phase 2 clinical trial of Lilly’s therapy for relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma is now open at eight City of Hope locations across the country.
Developing New Tools for Tomorrow’s Needs
To deliver a scalable and unified system, regulatory, operational and digital frameworks were developed to accommodate new trial sites anywhere in the world. City of Hope experts are also developing AI and predictive tools to incorporate into the portal to help determine where certain patients reside and identify the best locations for each trial.
“City of Hope has built an all-in-one model that can not only keep up with the pace of our scientific research and clinical innovations, but also support our investigators and collaborators, and ultimately how we deliver care and most importantly, hope, to our patients, regardless of where they are,” Dr. Kim said.
To learn more about the clinical trials model contact: trialintake@coh.org. For details on participating in a clinical trial call: 855-970-2654.
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About City of Hope
City of Hope's mission is to make hope a reality for all touched by cancer and diabetes. Founded in 1913, City of Hope has grown into one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the U.S. and one of the leading research centers for diabetes and other life-threatening illnesses. City of Hope research has been the basis for numerous breakthrough cancer medicines, as well as human synthetic insulin and monoclonal antibodies. With an independent, National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center that is ranked among the nation’s top cancer centers by U.S. News & World Report at its core, City of Hope brings a uniquely integrated model to patients spanning cancer care, research and development, academics and training and innovation initiatives. City of Hope’s growing national system includes its Los Angeles campus, a network of clinical care locations across Southern California, a new cancer center in Orange County, California, and cancer treatment centers and outpatient facilities in the Atlanta, Chicago and Phoenix areas. City of Hope’s affiliated group of organizations includes Translational Genomics Research Institute and AccessHopeTM. For more information about City of Hope, follow us on Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn.
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