BioOncology is an emerging subspecialty of oncology focusing on the research and development of targeted biologic drugs.

System Fix: Increase Awareness, Access, and Efficiency

The reason for starting CBI’s Cancer Therapy and Research Center is to provide outstanding professional care to cancer patients with early access to investigational drugs. Cancer vaccines, antibodies, radiological, immune cellular and gene transfer protocols are available on early phase clinical trials to metastatic cancer patients who have exhausted standard treatment options.   Phase I research trials are highly complex, require specialized equipment in a dedicated facility.   Additionally, an experienced team capable of navigating the research pipe-line and regulatory framework governing drug development are needed for Phase I access. 

The FDA is increasingly allowing incorporation of experimental Phase I drugs into front line metastatic regimens combined with standard chemotherapy.  This provides the earliest access to the cutting edge, while maintaining standard of care.   Bringing Phase I access to the front-line of community cancer care requires a unique research practice model with expert niche capabilities.  CBI’s Phase I research clinic in the community setting of Charlotte, NC will bring unprecedented access to investigational drugs to the front line of patient care.     North Carolina has is the fastest growing biotech industry in the nation, and CBI will continue to leverage our state’s research and development so that drugs discovered in North Carolina will be offered first on trial in North Carolina.

According to the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) national database, North Carolina is considered a “Tobacco State” and thus has a higher age adjusted annual death rate of 204 deaths/100,000 persons compared to the national average of 197 deaths/100,000 persons.  Furthermore, Mecklenburg Country represented the #1 highest incidence of cancer in North Carolina: 2,340 new cases of cancer/year (425 cases/100,000 population).  The City of Charlotte, located in Mecklenburg County is the fasted growing city in North Carolina. 

Huntersville, NC located in north Mecklenburg County (15 miles north of Charlotte) is one of the fasted growing regions of the state and will be adjacent to the Charlotte beltway 485 under construction.   A new Presbyterian Hospital at Huntersville recently opened in November 2004.  CBI is the first full-time oncology clinic established at Huntersville, NC.

In addition to being the only BioOncology research center in region, CBI is the first oncology practice in Mecklenburg County to adopt an Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system.  This unique combination of clinical research trials embedded in an EMR will serve as a hub for future development of an EMR network of oncologists/investigators for Phase II/III clinical research trials across the region.     
 
Another advantage of the EMR is that it will serve as a “de-identified” portal for clinical research data-mining.   The CBI Cancer Therapy & Research Center, along with its EMR will catalyze drug development while allowing real-time safety/toxicity/efficacy data for the FDA and sponsors.   This proprietary trial embedding application will leverage efficiencies of drug development in the modern era of BioInformatics.