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ANZUP ANNUAL REPORT 2017
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT Our activities in broad terms have been as follows:
1.Clinical trials ANZUP has active clinical trials in all of its disease types, covering various points in the courses of these diseases and involving as many disciplines as possible. We have achieved a significant milestone this year with completion of recruitment to the 1100-patient ENZAMET trial, by far the largest trial ANZUP has yet done and involving international collaborators in Canada, Ireland, UK and USA. We have held full-day Concept Development Workshops for each of our disease-specific subcommittees and these have been highly successful, with several concepts moving on for further development and funding support. The Board is committed to supporting investment of ANZUP resources in the Concept Development Workshops and other processes to support research.
On behalf of the ANZUP Board I am pleased to provide this report of ANZUP’s activities over the last year. ANZUP aims to improve outcomes for our patients and their families, through research, education, and provision of support. We exist to generate new evidence from clinical trials, based on a clear understanding of the clinical needs and of the scientific state of the art.
A key initiative this year was the agreement between ANZUP and the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia for joint fundraising activities specifically to support clinical trials. This idea has been a long time in the making and it is fantastic to partner with PCFA on such an important initiative. Concepts were presented at the Prostate Concept Development Workshop and an exciting and timely proposal to study 177LuPSMA therapy was chosen to proceed. The agreement with PCFA also cements their relationship with the Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) as Platinum Sponsor, and facilitates the prostate cancer specialist nurse symposium held concurrently at the ASM.
ANZUP global trial achieves major milestone
Once again ANZUP has had a very active year and has achieved many of the goals it has set for itself in the Strategic Plan. The Strategic Plan itself was updated early in 2016 and is linked to an operational plan with clearly defined goals, milestones, and achievable and measurable outcomes. This will inform our activities and priorities for the next several years. In broad terms, we will expand and diversify our clinical trials portfolio; improve engagement with stakeholders inside and outside the organisation; develop sustainable and innovative funding strategies; and broaden our profile and that of genitourinary cancers and clinical trials in general. Our operational plan is linked to these broad priority areas and lists specific achievable goals and measurable milestones. The Board is confident that this will assist us in reaching our goals.
ANZUP has also established and continued to grow other key links, including new relationships with other cooperative trials groups and networks such as Cancer Trials Ireland, EORTC, Alliance, PCCTC and Hoosier. We continue to look to form new connections with other groups with which we can work productively.
2.Fundraising and promotion ANZUP receives valuable infrastructure funding from Cancer Australia but must raise funds for every other aspect of our work. Marketing and Communications Manager Lucy Byers joined our team in 2016 and has continued to grow our very successful fundraising initiatives. The ANZUP ASM is a
