New Funding Partnership Backs Innovative Paediatric Brain Cancer Treatment

A pioneering partnership has been established to fund critical clinical trials for targeted treatments in children and young adults diagnosed with high-grade gliomas, including Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG). This initiative, unites six leading philanthropic organisations to support the ambitious TarGeT trial, a cutting-edge international study that uses precision medicine to deliver treatments tailored to each patient’s unique tumour genetics.

Despite advances in molecular research, high-grade gliomas continue to have poor outcomes with current treatments and there is an urgent need to innovate targeted therapies. The TarGeT trial is an international phase 2 umbrella study driven by the Australian and New Zealand Children’s Haematology/Oncology Group (ANZCHOG), developed through the CONNECT (COllaborative Network for NEuro-oncology Clinical Trials) consortium.

Six leading philanthropic organisations have come together to form the TarGeT Collaborative: the Robert Connor Dawes (RCD) Foundation, Children’s Cancer Foundation (CCF), My Room Children’s Cancer Charity, The Kids’ Cancer Project, the Mark Hughes Foundation Centre for Brain Cancer Research at the University of Newcastle, and the Cure Starts Now (Australia and US). This funding circle will direct annual contributions to ANZCHOG for seven years, up to $1,925,000, enabling local hospitals and research centres to participate fully in the TarGeT study and access the latest treatment options.

Professor Nick Gottardo, Chair of ANZCHOG, highlighted the importance of this support:
Securing sustainable funding for clinical trials like the highly innovative TarGeT study is essential to addressing the challenges of childhood cancers. Cooperative efforts, like the recently established TarGeT Collaborative, provide an opportunity for diverse, committed organisations to leverage resources and expertise to allow Australia and New Zealand to rapidly take part in cutting edge treatments for children who urgently need them.  This approach not only ensures the continuity of vital research but also means more equitable access for children with cancer.”

The TarGeT trial will deploy advanced genomic testing to identify specific mutations and genetic alterations in each patient’s tumour. Participants will then be assigned to one of 8 therapy arms tailored to these alterations. This precision approach aims to reduce toxicity and improve survival outcomes. With the inclusion of five CONNECT member sites across Australia and New Zealand, the trial will offer comprehensive, personalised treatment options to local patients while contributing to global research efforts.

Key Highlights of the TarGeT Trial:

• Precision Medicine: TarGeT aligns with emerging data suggesting that personalised treatment significantly enhances outcomes for high-risk brain cancers.
• Local Participation: The trial will involve five CONNECT member hospitals across Australasia, enabling substantial enrolment from local young patients.
• Global Collaboration: ANZCHOG’s coordination with CONNECT will allow Australian and New Zealand patients to access globally recognised, cutting-edge therapies developed through extensive international collaboration.

About the TarGeT Collaborative

The TarGeT Collaborative is a funding group with the Robert Connor Dawes Foundation, Children’s Cancer Foundation (CCF), My Room Children’s Cancer Charity, The Kids’ Cancer Project, the Mark Hughes Foundation Centre for Brain Cancer Research at the University of Newcastle, and Cure Starts Now (Australia and US).

It brings together leading philanthropic partners to enable critical research and clinical trials for high-grade glioma treatments in children and young adults. Each partner organisation remains committed to helping drive the advancement of brain cancer research and treatment for the young people of Australia and beyond.