Eight clinical trials starting soon in health disparities and/or led by underserved researchers

CHICAGO - Feb. 13, 2023 - PRLog -- Cures Within Reach, a global nonprofit that identifies and funds clinical trials testing already approved therapies in new indications to improve patients' lives, recently announced the selection of 8 Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI)-related clinical trials starting as early as Spring 2023 after regulatory and related approvals. This brings Cures Within Reach's DEI portfolio to 25 clinical trials: 12 ongoing trials, 2 completed and 11 selected to start soon.

These 8 clinical trials were selected as part of Cures Within Reach's DEI efforts to reduce health disparities, improve health equity and increase diversity in medical research.  These proof-of-concept clinical repurposing trials may help overcome skepticism among patients of color regarding clinical trial participation. In the U.S., this initiative also helps to support racial and ethnic minority researchers who receive less funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other sources, and, therefore, are underrepresented in scientific research, according to a 2020 NIH report.

Respected research institutions across the U.S. will start these 6 clinical trials soon, 5 to impact health disparities and 3 led by underrepresented racial/ethnic minority researchers:

• Dr. Edilberto Amorim at University of California San Francisco: Testing the Epilepsy Drug Perampanel to Prevent Seizures After Cardiac Arrest
• Dr. Sheldon Holder at Brown University: Repurposing the Prostate Cancer Drug Degarelix to Treat Bladder Cancer
• Dr. Abiola Ibraheem at University of Illinois Chicago: Using a Generic Drug Combination in Early-Stage Hormone Receptor Positive Breast Cancer Patients
• Dr. Sarah Linnstaedt at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill: Estrogen to Prevent Chronic Pain and PTSD Following Sexual Assault
• Dr. Natasha Shur at Children's National Research Institute: Using Steroids to Improve Outcomes in Rhabdomyolysis in Pediatric Patients
• Dr. Austin Wesevich at University of Chicago: Testing a Low-Dose Anti-Inflammatory Tocilizumab for Acute Chest Syndrome in Sickle Cell Disease

The 5 health disparities trials include plans for engagement with health, social services and/or faith-based community-based organizations that are trusted and already engaged with communities of color to support the trials. These trials also seek to engage and educate prospective participants, to help reduce both mistrust and distrust and to share the opportunity to improve the health and healthcare of communities of color.  This community engagement is an integral part of these health disparities clinical trials.

In addition, 2 more clinical trials will start soon in low and lower-middle income countries (LMICs):

• Dr. Dinesh Mondal at International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh: Assessing Safety and Efficacy of Oral Ivermectin in Post Kala-Azar Dermal Leishmaniasis Treatment
• Dr. Stanley Zimba at University of Zambia School of Medicine: Testing an Antihypertensive Drug as an Add-On therapy for Drug-Resistant Epilepsy Patients in Zambia

Cures Within Reach's DEI trials are supported by donors and sponsors that include the Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust, Takeda Pharmaceuticals' R&D Center for Health Equity and Patient Affairs, Adtalem Global Education Foundation, Burroughs Wellcome Fund, Horizon Therapeutics, Walder Foundation and others.

"Takeda is proud to be a longtime supporter and partner of Cures Within Reach. Its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion clinical trial program stands out for creating real and meaningful opportunities for traditionally underrepresented researchers, particularly those from communities of color, to participate in clinical research that addresses health inequities that matter most to their communities," said Dr. Chris Reddick, Head of Health Equity Capacity Building at Takeda.

"We are thrilled to support these low-risk, high-reward efforts while prioritizing health equity and building the pipeline of underserved and underrepresented clinical researchers across the US and in LMICs," said Barbara Goodman, President & CEO of Cures Within Reach. "Cures Within Reach is playing a pivotal role in finding new treatments for unsolved diseases by providing funding for the first-in-human clinical trials required to reach patients broadly."

Cures Within Reach focuses on first-in-human or proof-of-concept clinical repurposing trials that catalyze the follow-on funding needed to continue the research – building evidence for publication and follow-on trials allowing clinicians to make their own decisions with their patients (called off-label use) or for regulatory approval by the FDA or other agencies.

About Cures Within Reach
Cures Within Reach (CWR) is a US-based philanthropic leader leveraging the speed, safety and cost-effectiveness of testing already approved therapies for new indications that improve patient quality and length of life, driving more treatments to more patients more quickly.  CWR provides seed funds for first in-human or pivotal studies that, when successful, allow a catalytic effect of additional follow-on trials and follow-on funding. CWR focuses on impacting patients with unmet medical needs, whether a repurposed treatment may have philanthropic value or commercial value. CWR's 2023 initiatives include focused efforts to impact Diversity, Equity & Inclusion; Veterans; and Pediatrics. CWR currently has a global portfolio of 35 funded trials at 31 institutions in 26 diseases in 7 countries. Visit cureswithinreach.org (http://www.cureswithinreach.org/).