LLS's Therapy Acceleration Program, launched in fiscal year 2008, addresses some of the hurdles associated with blood cancer drug development, with focused efforts that reduce investment risk and accelerate clinical progress. Combined with LLS's existing research grant program, funded at $69.1 million in 2008, the Therapy Acceleration Program contributes to an end-to-end solution for development of new blood cancer therapies. The Therapy Acceleration Program comprises three innovative strategies to hasten progress: the Academic Concierge Division, the Biotechnology Accelerator Division and the Clinical Trials Division. The Academic Concierge Division identifies LLS-funded research grant projects that have near-term clinical promise and provides the funding and support needed to advance selected projects to the product stage. As a result of sustained research grant investments, LLS currently has a pipeline of more than 60 projects with this near-term potential - a portfolio comparable to the
pipeline of a medium-size pharmaceutical company. The Academic Concierge Division takes advantage of this productive investment in discovery research by assisting selected projects into and through the next stage of product development. In this stage, generally conducted by companies called contract research organizations (CROs), scientists study a treatment's tissue distribution, stability and any toxicities associated with its use, as required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before human studies can be conducted. The Academic Concierge Division acts as a liaison between researchers and appropriate CROs. It provides financial support for the assembly of large amounts of formal documentation required by the FDA before clinical trials can start. Through the Biotechnology Accelerator Division, LLS allies with companies to combine scientific and financial resources and accelerate the development of promising therapies for blood cancer patients. Biotechnology companies are the focus of this program because of their reputation for innovation and successful drug development. Historically, pharmaceutical companies have resisted developing blood cancer treatments because they are perceived as having less potential for high reward due to relatively small patient populations. LLS funding will help mitigate this development barrier. The Biotechnology Accelerator Division funds only projects that are close to generating data on clinical efficacy in blood cancer patients. This ensures that the company will be able to gain additional resources to complete the testing, registration and marketing of new treatments for patients. The following criteria will help interested companies determine whether their project aligns with the goals of this program: - Company has potential or active projects that are related to the prevention, diagnosis or treatment of blood cancers.
- Project is at the late pre-clinical or early clinical stage of development
- Compounds, biologics or diagnostic devices in development have a high, near term probability of providing benefits to patients.
To submit a project, send an email to allison.formal@lls.org In the Clinical Trials Division, LLS partners with one or more of the country's leading clinical trial centers to build the infrastructure for broader access to blood cancer clinical trials and significantly increase enrollment of adult cancer patients. Planned is a network of Phase I and II clinical trial sites that will use new strategies to increase patient enrollment, especially among under-represented populations. The Clinical Trials Division focuses on geographic barriers by taking clinical trials to patients with one or more community-based models that will be deployed in sites across the country.Patients will have access to clinical trials in a convenient and familiar setting. | 
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