On February 4, 2021 McKesson, a global leader in healthcare committed to transforming cancer research,reported that it has joined together with life sciences companies, oncology providers and patient advocacy groups in a unique collaborative effort, titled MYLUNG, to advance precision medicine options for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who are being treated in the community (Press release, McKesson, FEB 4, 2021, View Source [SID1234574634]). NSCLC is the most common type of lung cancer according to the American Cancer Society, accounting for about 84% of lung cancer cases.

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The MYLUNG consortium – or "Molecularly Informed Lung Cancer Treatment in a Community Cancer Network: A Pragmatic Consortium" – will observe up to 12,000 community-based, metastatic NSCLC patients over a five-year period in one of the first broad, collaborative, research endeavors in lung cancer. In particular, MYLUNG aims to deepen understanding of molecular testing barriers to improve care for lung cancer patients, including those with mutations who may benefit from receiving precision medicine, the practice of leveraging targeted therapies across the continuum of care, as well as expand the opportunity for patients to participate in clinical trials.

"Many patients are not receiving the molecular testing they need to initiate targeted therapy early in their cancer care journey due to long timeframes, lack of coverage or another factor. This testing is critical to determine the patient’s cancer at a molecular level, so oncologists can create a more targeted and precise treatment plan," said Robert L. Coleman, MD, FACOG, FACS, chief scientific officer, US Oncology Research. "In order to fulfill the promise of precision medicine for NSCLC patients, we need a fuller understanding of the barriers, challenges, risks and opportunities around molecularly guided therapies. MYLUNG will draw insights from these datasets that can lead to better therapy for patients in a timelier manner."

Lung cancer treatment is becoming increasingly personalized to include targeted therapies into earlier stages of disease. To support this, MYLUNG provides the framework to conduct research studies that will help define best practices for providers, as well as provide insights for life sciences companies seeking to quickly deliver potentially life-saving treatments to the patients who need them.

The MYLUNG consortium brings together several McKesson-supported organizations focused on transforming and enhancing the cancer care experience including The US Oncology Network, US Oncology Research, and OntadaTM – McKesson’s new oncology technology and insights business – along with life sciences companies and patient advocacy groups. MYLUNG life sciences members currently include Amgen, Eli Lilly and Company and Mirati Therapeutics. Healthcare provider members include Illinois Cancer Specialists, Maryland Oncology Hematology, Minnesota Oncology, New York Oncology Hematology, Oncology Hematology Care, Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers, Southern Cancer Center, Virginia Cancer Specialists, Virginia Oncology Associates and Willamette Valley Cancer Institute and Research Center. Additional collaborators are expected to join throughout the next few months.

"McKesson has always served at the center of care delivery, which has provided a unique perspective on the complexities of cancer care and the growing needs among providers and life sciences companies," said Kirk Kaminsky, president, McKesson U.S. Pharmaceutical. "MYLUNG highlights our ability to integrate a continuous virtual cycle with feedback loops between the US Oncology Research and Ontada research teams and The US Oncology Network sites of care to quickly integrate best practices across The Network, while adaptively responding to the constantly changing landscape of oncology discovery for both diagnostics and treatment."

MYLUNG will consist of three protocols over a five-year period:

Protocol 1 retrospectively reviews real-world data from Ontada’s iKnowMedSM electronic health records (EHRs) of about 3,500 patients treated by providers in The US Oncology Network to understand baseline data on molecular testing across practices and identify historical barriers to testing and precision medicine in community practice.
Protocol 2, enrolling about 1,000 patients from approximately 10 practices, will monitor the real-world patient journey from presentation through their first line of cancer therapy, focusing on how diagnostic biomarker information is obtained, utilized and operationalized in decision-making. Patients are currently being enrolled into Protocol 2.
Protocol 3 will serve as a platform upon which prospectively assessed interventional strategies in patient-engagement algorithms will be conducted. Up to 7,500 patients from approximately 20 participating practices will be recruited over a five-year period. The individual clinical trials will integrate findings from the previous protocols and explore new processes and associated outcomes to help providers make the best treatment recommendations based on the data available and improve access to testing and appropriate therapies for NSCLC patients.
The real-world research model is uniquely suited to take lung cancer care to the next level by providing a window into the actual provider and patient experience. "We created Ontada to help providers, patients and life sciences companies navigate a cancer care world that is growing more complex every day as new precision medicines come to market," said Derek Rago, interim president, Ontada. "MYLUNG will gather real-world data with Ontada’s technology solutions and develop novel insights through its real-world analytics capabilities so that all stakeholders can make informed decisions that are actionable at the point-of-need."

MYLUNG is poised to support meaningful progress and innovation in care delivery and potentially touch and improve thousands of lives. Makenzi Evangelist, MD, physician lead for the pragmatic study and oncologist with New York Oncology Hematology (NYOH), a practice in The Network, said, "During the study and after, we hope that the interventions and our understanding of NSCLC improve, and we see increased testing and appropriate use of targeted therapies – all of which we hope will improve cancer care and patient outcomes."