Singapore medical start-up Oncoshot has launched Project EISE (Enhanced Clinical Trial Initiation, Screening and Enrolment), the country’s first nationwide collaborative effort connecting cancer patients, healthcare professionals, as well as pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies via its clinical trial matching platform.

The initiative serves as a bridge between its private and public sector partners, which include National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS), pharmaceutical giant Roche, cancer immunotherapy start-up CytoMed Therapeutics, as well as cancer genomic sequencing solutions providers ACT Genomics and Guardant Health AMEA.

HOW IT WORKS

Partners within the ecosystem can access Oncoshot’s data-driven platform, which helps identify suitable cancer clinical trial options by parsing critical information relevant to each patient’s unique medical condition. This boasts greater speed and accuracy than the time-consuming manual process typically employed by cancer care providers.

The services are aimed at fostering a well-connected, multi-stakeholder cancer ecosystem that gives rise to improved clinical outcomes in Singapore - where cancer is the leading cause of death.

THE LARGER TREND

In July, Oncoshot partnered with digital healthcare provider MyDoc, to give cancer patients access to second opinion advice from leading oncologists, MobiHealth News reported. 

Back in 2018, Roche launched a FDA-approved diagnostic test for personalized cancer care in Singapore called FoundationOne CDx. According to Roche, FoundationOne CDx supports clinicians in their decision-making by providing a clear, in-depth report that describes the unique genomic profile of a patient’s tumor as well as associated, approved therapies and relevant clinical trials.

ON THE RECORD

“In Singapore today, there are more than 200 cancer clinical studies being conducted by hospitals and pharmaceutical plus genomics companies, many of which are developing innovative treatments. However, even cancer specialists may not be aware of these options, as they lack a systemized approach to exploring them. Project EISE has the potential to propel cancer care by better connecting the biomedical sciences sector and pointing patients towards potentially life-saving or -extending therapies. Together, we can do more, and do better,” said Dr Huren Sivaraj, CEO and Co-founder, Oncoshot.

"Cancer care is evolving rapidly, and so too are clinical trials. Project EISE facilitates the search for appropriate trials, and will be one of our partners at the National Cancer Centre as we provide patients important access to novel therapeutics, while shaping the landscape of cancer care for the future," said Dr Tira Tan, Consultant, Division of Medical Oncology, NCCS.