Vithas and Oncology Consultants Spain have formalized a strategic agreement to launch an Early Development Unit in Oncology at the Vithas Madrid La Milagrosa University Hospital, aimed at strengthening clinical cancer research.
With this collaboration, both organizations aim to give a decisive boost to research and oncological innovation, while expanding patient access to first-in-human clinical trials, both phase I and phase I/II. Likewise, the unit will serve as a platform for the development of new cancer drugs and for early access to innovative therapies.
The entities emphasize that the purpose of this joint project is to consolidate an early-stage oncological research program, focused on first-in-human trials and biomarker-guided studies of targeted therapies and new therapeutic modalities. Among them are antibody-drug conjugates, bispecific antibodies, and next-generation immunotherapies. The initiative will have the support of the Vithas Foundation and the Vithas Oncology Institute.
One of the priority scientific axes will be the combination of serial tumor biopsies and liquid biopsies with pharmacodynamic evaluations, in order to deepen the understanding of the mechanisms of action of treatments, analyze the causes of resistance to therapies, and identify biomarkers that allow for the selection of the most suitable patients.
"The medicine of the future is not built solely by incorporating technology, but by connecting care with research and ensuring that its benefits reach the patient. This unit represents that way of understanding healthcare to contribute to the development of new treatments and bring patients the great advances in oncology," said the corporate director of Assistance, Quality, and Innovation of Vithas, David Baulenas.
"The goal of the unit is to become a gateway for patients to access therapies that will shape the future of oncology sooner. Madrid has the necessary conditions to become a European reference in early research, and we are convinced that this collaboration will help accelerate that goal," concluded the general director of Oncology Consultants Spain, Begoña de las Heras.