Press Release: "Precision Medicine for Me Aims to Bridge Emergent Divide in Cancer Care:  Helping Patients in Europe Realize the Full Potential of Breakthrough Cancer Technology"

Barcelona (March 14, 2017) – Precision medicine will increasingly have the potential to transform patient outcomes in lung cancer, but there are many reasons why a significant proportion may benefit too late, if at all. Precision Medicine for Me is a unique consortium that seeks to address this such that patients are truly empowered to translate great science into saving lives.

This project was initiated by Patient Power, a patient empowerment organization and Antidote, a clinical trial matching startup, along with patient organizations, advocates, startups, and leaders in the pharmaceutical industry. “With the way the world works today, we face an increasing risk that many patients whose lives could be significantly extended through breakthrough technology will never receive it,” said Ed Godber, CEO of H-Labs, who will be introducing the initiative at Eye for Pharma in Barcelona this week. “Our goal is to systematically empower patients to inspire the creation of a better model, one in which the promise of precision medicine is fully realized.”

No one represents the promise and challenges of precision medicine more than Francisco Millán, 44, who is living with advanced lung cancer. He was diagnosed more than four years ago, when an oncologist told him that his cancer was incurable and terminal. Fran was treated with standard chemotherapy at Vall d'Hebron Hospital in Barcelona and after three years of numerous tests and partly thanks to his insistence, it was discovered that Fran’s cancer was caused by the ROS1 mutation (a genetic alteration that affects one percent of lung cancer patients). Because he had this mutation, Fran was able to receive a targeted therapy specifically for patients with the ROS1 mutation. His innovative therapy involved taking one pill every 12 hours, with fewer side effects than traditional chemotherapy.

"If you do not ask for and have the genetic testing for your tumor, you may end up receiving standard chemotherapy. Advocating for yourself can save your life or give you more years,” said Fran." In fact, there are cases of patients with stage IV lung cancer who are showing no evidence of disease thanks to new targeted therapies and immunotherapy.

There are also many new and promising drugs in the testing phase, so taking part in a clinical trial may be an option, depending on where you live. Fran is currently advocating for his medical team to conduct a trial with highly promising medicines that is taking place in Boston in Spain also, so that Spanish patients have access to those therapies.

“Fran’s story is, unfortunately, an example of a widening divide in cancer care, depending on where you live” said Pablo Graiver, CEO of Antidote and a successful internet entrepreneur who began his career in Barcelona. “Patients who live near major cancer centers are benefiting from the latest advances in medicine, while others are not even aware of the option. We are committed to helping fix this critical problem.”

“Empowered patients are their own best advocates – Fran is alive today because he became involved in his cancer journey and worked with his medical team to have access to the best treatment,” said Andrew Schorr, Founder and President of Patient Power and another former resident of Barcelona. “We have a team of people standing by to provide free support and resources to any patient in need. All they have to do is email us at hello@precision-medicine.me.”

Representatives of Precision Medicine for Me will participate in the EyeforPharma conference taking place at the International Convention Center in Barcelona from March 14-16. Ed Godber, CEO of H-Labs and former Executive Vice President of Patients Like Me, will present the project and be available for interviews.

For more information, please visit www.precision-medicine.me.

About Precision Medicine for Me

Precision Medicine for Me is a collaborative project aimed at building a replicable and measurable model to increase patient awareness about and engagement in precision medicine. This initiative has Patient Power and Antidote at the helm and includes such organizations as the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation, Free to Breathe, H-Labs, Lung Cancer Alliance, Lung Cancer Foundation of America, PatientsLikeMe, the Patient Empowerment Foundation, QuintilesIMS, and SurviveIt, as well as patient advisors such as e-Patient Dave deBronkart and Janet Freeman-Daily. This mix of for-profit and non-profit organizations has come together with the goal of getting patients the best possible care, starting with the knowledge, hope, and action they can take right now. All Precision Medicine for Me assets are open to all, and anyone is welcome to join the initiative. For more information, please visit http://www.precision-medicine.me.

About Antidote

Antidote is a digital health company on a mission. Their aim is to accelerate the breakthroughs of new treatments by bridging the gap between medical research and the people who need them.

In a world where 80% of clinical trials are delayed or closed due to lack of awareness, Antidote uses cutting-edge technology to match the right patients with the right trials, helping medical researchers make faster progress, and offering new treatment options to patients in need. Antidote was launched as TrialReach in 2010, and is based in the US and UK.

This is a global effort to advance healthcare for everyone. To find out how you can help shape medical history, visit http://www.antidote.me.

About Patient Power

Patient Power is a pioneer in providing editorially independent, free online education and empowerment of cancer patients using video that connects experts with patients around the world. Its videos in multiple languages are seen by patients and cancer professionals on many web sites and in social media. These include http://www.patientpower.info, https://www.powerfulpatients.org/, http://powerfulpatients.eu/, and http://www.oncologytube.com.

About H-Labs

H-Labs works with not-for-profit and for-profit enterprises to design and implement versions of the health ecosystem that strive towards that which could be achieved if patients and consumers were fully informed about their health and options, empowered to drive care and innovation to where it was most needed and if the power of the communal discovery and insight were to be fully leveraged. It has worked on issues as far ranging as anti-microbial resistance to the value of social networks in mental health to the use of AI and imaging to personalize surgery.

Media Contacts

Teresa Bau (Spain)
Communications Consultant, Patient Power LLC
0034-600 74 29 55
Teresa@patientpower.info

Sarah Kerruish (UK)
Chief Patient Officer, Antidote
+44 7546364484
sarah@antidote.me

Lisa Brockway (US)
Director of Communications, Antidote
(215) 872-2917
lisa@antidote.me

Andrew Schorr (US)
Founder and President, Patient Power LLC
(312) 404-5542
andrew@patientpower.info