Genomics Cancer Clinical Trials Initiative National Technical Services

The Australian Government, under the Support for Cancer Clinical Trials program, is supporting Australia's capacity to develop industry-independent cancer clinical trials.

Cancer Australia is currently supporting 14 CTGs to develop industry-independent cancer clinical trial protocols to the stage of applying for grant funding.

The GCCTI National Technical Service will be required to provide, but is not limited to, the following minimum services to the CTGs supported by Cancer Australia:

• conduct workshops (minimum of one per year) including representatives from all 14 CTGs supported by Cancer Australia and other key stakeholders to identify potential molecular targets for the cancer clinical trial protocols
• develop and write, in collaboration with the CTGs, new cancer clinical trial protocols that specifically target cancer mutations and molecular markers across a range of tumour types (including performing literature reviews, reviews of international cancer mutation and molecular marker clinical trial protocols, peer review of protocols, statistical design and sample size calculations)
• develop and write, in collaboration with the CTGs, grant applications for the funding of cancer clinical trials developed (including preparation of budgets) with the aim of submitting a minimum of two competitive grant applications per year (grant applications must remain competitive and responsive to the changing requirements of competitive funders of cancer clinical trials). It is expected that several different CTGs, and other key clinicians/groups, will collaborate to conduct the clinical trials once funding has been secured.

The service provider is also required to:

• establish and maintain a multi-disciplinary Scientific Steering Group to assist in the development of clinical trial protocols
• establish collaborative relationships with other National Technical Services provided by Cancer Australia to support the CTGs.