CEO Update

A message from the CEO, Margaret McJannett

ANZUP is a cancer co-operative clinical trials group that brings together a leading multi-disciplinary network of surgical, medical, radiation oncologists, nurses, psychologists and allied health professionals researching and treating patients with prostate and urogenital (bladder, kidney, testicular, penile) cancers.

Our mission is to improve treatment and outcomes for people affected by prostate and urogenital cancers. We do this by performing high quality clinical trials that generate the evidence that can make a difference to those impacted by these “below the belt” cancers.

Despite COVID-19 and the peak of an early winter flu season ANZUP has continued to achieve some significant milestones across our research activities.

In relation to our clinical trials, in July we opened our latest ground-breaking study, the EVOLUTION trial. This multimillion-dollar trial has been made possible through a partnership with the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA) with support from Bristol Myers Squibb and Novartis. It aims to see whether Lu-PSMA combined with cancer immunotherapy is safe and can lead to clinically meaningful anti-cancer effects. This ANZUP-led study is a collaboration with the University of Sydney NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre (NHMRC CTC), our community of clinicians and researchers, the Australasian Radiopharmaceutical Trials Network (ARTnet), the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), MiM and WIDEN. The EVOLUTION Study Chair is Professor Shahneen Sandhu.

We were excited to reach our recruitment target of 160 patients for the ENZA-p trial. This trial aims to determine if adding Lu-PSMA to enzalutamide overcomes resistance to treatment and prolongs treatment responses. ENZA-p was funded through a partnership with the Prostate Cancer Research Alliance (PCRA): An Australian Government, Movember Foundation and Cancer Australia alliance, St Vincent’s Clinic Foundation, GenesisCare and Roy Morgan Research. This ANZUPled study was a collaboration with the NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, ARTnet and with funding and product support from Novartis and Astellas. We look forward to reporting on the results of the trial in 2023. ENZAp’s Study Chair is Professor Louise Emmett.

Our BCG+MM trial is closing on its recruitment target of 500 participants. This trial is aiming to determine if the combination of BCG and mitomycin is more effective than BCG alone in the treatment of patients with aggressive bladder cancer that has not yet invaded the muscle of the bladder wall. This randomised trial will determine the effects of adding mitomycin on cure rates, survival, side effects and quality of life. This could potentially provide a simple and cost-effective treatment for patients who suffer from this cancer.

Earlier this year ANZUP was awarded two oral and two poster presentations at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago, the largest oncology meetings in the world.

ANZUP’s Chair Professor Ian Davis presented the updated results from ANZUP’s ENZAMET (ANZUP 1304) trial – which showed a 30% survival benefit. TheraP (ANZUP 1603) Study Chair Professor Michael Hofman also presented the three-year results from ANZUP’s TheraP (ANZUP 1603) trial – the first randomised trial comparing Lutetium-177 PSMA-617 to standard of care chemotherapy.

The two trials in progress posters provided updates for our UNISoN trial and DASL-HiCAP. You can read more about this important meeting and ANZUP’s presence on page 28.

We are constantly looking at how we can improve access to our clinical trials for all people affected by these “below the belt” cancers. Each new trial is considered for suitability to include a teletrials model, to build capability at new regional and rural sites, increase the number and accessibility ANZUP trials, and provide better access for patients living in regional and rural Australia or New Zealand. As a consequence, we have reached out to new regional sites, utilising the

Teletrial model for several of our ANZUP trials and we will continue to look for opportunities to expand on this model where possible.

We continued to convene our highly successful Idea Generation Workshops, (previously known as Concept Development Workshops), albeit virtually, across all the diseases we represent, and also includes Quality of Life and Supportive care and Translational Research. These workshops are a forum for members to present research ideas that might be immature, in order to obtain advice on further development and input on the project’s scientific value, design, funding support and acceptability. All members are invited to submit concepts for discussion. This is particularly valuable for junior or early career researchers. Concepts that are approved for further development have a working group assigned including members from our consumer advisory panel (CAP). The workshops also provide a supportive environment for “brainstorming” and “horizon scanning” to generate new ideas and opportunities. Some concepts are recommended for applications for funding through the ANZUP Below the Belt Research Fund mechanism. You can read more about this on page 32.

After two years of virtual meetings, we finally held the ANZUP Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) in-person from 10 – 12 July 2022 in Adelaide. This year’s ASM theme ‘No Longer on Mute: Patients, Carers and Our Research Community’ provided a platform to discuss the need for a voice for many groups – the patient, carers, vulnerable communities, other disciplines, and the research community – about clinical trials. It was exhilarating to be able to finally come together face-to face and network, debate, discuss and appreciate ANZUP’s truly multidisciplinary group.

In terms of fundraising: We held our virtual Below the Belt #YourWay Challenges during the month of May in 2022. Over 1,400 people throughout Australia registered and participated in either the 77 Crunches a Day in May Facebook Challenge or the 77km #YourWay in May Challenge acknowledging the 77 people every day in Australia who are diagnosed with a below the belt cancer.

After three years off the track, we were delighted to welcome back riders, supporters and volunteers who joined us at Sydney Motorsport Park on Tuesday 22 November for the Sydney Pedalthon.

The day was full of energy and competitive spirit; we witnessed grit, determination, and cycling prowess, as well as a lot of fun.

We are thrilled to announce that not only have we raised more than $53,000 but another milestone was made with the funds raised from this event ticking us over to more than $2 million raised since 2014. That is over $2 million going straight to ANZUP Cancer Trials Group to improve the lives of people affected by bladder, kidney, testicular, penile, and prostate cancers through practicechanging multidisciplinary collaborative clinical trials.

Thank you to everyone who participated or donated and helped raise awareness and funds for ANZUP’s clinical trials research which directly supports our members to develop research projects with the potential to lead to future ANZUP trials.

We are fortunate to have such a dedicated membership, now over 2,000, who help us deliver on our mission and keep pushing for better treatment and outcomes for our community. We are extremely grateful to our donors, funders and corporate supporters who continue to generously support our research endeavours. Finally, a heartfelt thanks to the many thousands of patients who participate in our ANZUP trials across Australia, New Zealand and internationally. Without every single one of you we would not be able to strive to achieve our mission: To improve the lives of people affected by “below the belt” cancers through practice-changing multidisciplinary collaborative clinical trials.

On behalf of the ANZUP team I hope you enjoy this edition of our magazine, ‘A little below the belt’.

MARGARET MCJANNETT

CEO, ANZUP