 ACCELERATE BRAIN CANCER CURE (The organization that can do it.) With his finance background, Dan recognized that few biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies were willing to invest research and development dollars toward brain cancer research due to its relative scarcity. By "buying down the risk" in the drug discovery process, ABC2 is able to speed up the drug discovery process. ABC2 applies entrepreneurial approaches to medical research and bridges the gap which often exists between academic researchers who often make significant scientific discoveries and companies which bring those treatments to patients. Since 2001, ABC2 has provided more than $16 million in research funding to highly qualified research investigators and physician-scientists from 42 institutions. Brain Cancer is not a one-size-fits-all disease and outdated approaches that focus on “generic” science can’t be tolerated anymore. Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure tries to focus on projects that incorporate a "personalized" approach. Genomic sequencing, vaccines and personalized therapeutics are the next evolution in research and we are excited to be leading the movement to accelerate these projects. Mission: To serve as a catalyst for change in the brain cancer research space. We work to support and often times create projects that will open the door to new approaches and therapeutics. We encourage academic researchers to collaborate with biotechnology and/or pharmaceutical companies in an effort to bridge the gap that currently exists between the “bench” and the “bedside”. This gap is often referred to the Valley of Death because it’s where many projects die. Bridging this gap is not only achieved by creating ground-breaking and often unorthodox partnerships, but also by knowing the exact point in the research pipeline where an infusion of funds will provide the greatest impact. Remember, it’s not just about more money, it’s about the right amount of money at exactly the right moment. Approach: Our approach stems from our belief that the path to new treatments will not be discovered by one mind working alone, but rather by many minds working as one. Our supporters put their faith in us to be brave leaders and we are proud of our many "firsts" that have pushed progress over the edge and inspired others to follow our lead. Achievements Viewed at the time as a risky and non-traditional application of funding, we became the first brain cancer non-profit to partner with a pharmaceutical company to successfully drive a new drug into the clinic; Avastin became the first new brain cancer drug to be approved in 10+ years. We were the first non-profit to provide funding for Tocagen, who was able to then go onto raise an additional $85 million in private funding. They currently have the first gene therapy-type of drug for GBM's in clinical trials. In 2011, we became the first non-profit to partner with Regulus in an effort to expand their research portfolio to include brain cancer. They are now working to develop a microRNA therapeutic to target the "master control switches" in brain tumors. Prior to our involvement Agios focused exclusively on leukemia research. We provided the support needed to move Agios's cancer metabolism project into brain cancer. They now have a drug candidate for low grade gliomas moving into the clinic and have gone on to secure a $250 Million strategic partnering investment from Celgene. |
ACCELERATE BRAIN CANCER CURE (The organization that can do it.) |
