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Sumner M. Redstone Charitable Foundation Awards $35 Million
Grant to FasterCures
FasterCures renamed The Research Acceleration and Innovation Network, The
Redstone Acceleration and Innovation Network in honor of Sumner Redstone’s
$35 million grant over the next five years.
Sumner Redstone said, "FasterCures is a powerful agent of change and
hope in the fight to speed both research and critical patient treatments for a wide
range of deadly diseases. Mike Milken and the fantastic team at FasterCures
are literally changing the way we search for medical answers and cures, seeking
to bring efficiency and effectiveness. Most important, they are completely focused
on making sure that patients get the full benefit of the remarkable advances that
are within our grasp. I am pleased and proud to make a contribution to their historic
and heroic work.”
Read the press release
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FasterCures Receives Grants to Identify Innovation
in Nonprofit Medical Research
In 2007, FasterCures received a $748,000 grant from the Pioneer Portfolio
of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to create the FasterCures Philanthropy
Advisory Service, and an additional $1,395,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation to expand the Philanthropy Advisory Service. The Advisory Service
will help identify and characterize opportunities to support nonprofit medical research
and will provide that data to foundations, independent philanthropists, and their
financial advisers through both publications and direct consulting services.
Read the press release about the Robert Wood Johnson Grant
Read the press release about the Gates Foundation Grant
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FasterCures Philanthropy Advisory Service
The FasterCures Philanthropy Advisory Service aims to improve the speed
of medical solutions by educating philanthropists about disease research priorities
and increasing private investment to high-impact disease research. To this end,
the Philanthropy Advisory Service is creating a clearinghouse for information about
nonprofit disease research organizations, making it easier for philanthropists to
align their goals and expectations with the capabilities of these nonprofits.
For more information about the Advisory Service please click here
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State of Melanoma Research Call to Action Meeting
The State of Melanoma Research Call to Action Meeting was organized by FasterCures,
the Milken Institute, and the Prostate Cancer Foundation, with the objective of
setting the scientific research agenda of the new Melanoma Research Alliance, which
will fund research to find cures and treatments of melanoma with the generous support
of Debra and Leon Black.
The mission of this meeting was to convene a world-class, cross-disciplinary group
of expert biomedical researchers possessing clinical and scientific expertise to
develop a research agenda that will provide innovative solutions to critical research
issues leading to better treatments and a cure for melanoma. The meeting, moderated
by Greg Simon, brought together 41 top scientists in melanoma both from the US and
overseas. The participants shared the current state of science in melanoma research,
and discussed which areas of research the Melanoma Research Alliance should give
priority in order to complement existing effort and leverage the lessons learned
from past experience. The meeting included presentations, plenary discussions, and
break-out sessions by research areas. A white paper is being developed to synthesize
the findings, and FasterCures, the Milken Institute, and the Prostate Cancer
Foundation will continue to be involved in the development of the Melanoma Research
Alliance.
For more information on the MRA please click here
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Esquire Event
FasterCures co-hosted its annual event with Esquire magazine. With a spectacular
view of Manhattan afforded by Esquire magazine's latest "Signature Space"
triplex penthouse as a backdrop, more than 30 "friends of FasterCures"
from nonprofit disease research organizations, academic medical centers, the media,
and industry were given a briefing on the goals and objectives of FasterCures'
new strategic plan and were then drawn into a lively discussion of new ideas for
fomenting collaborative science. Greg Simon interviewed selected participants and
engaged the audience in conversations about the Semantic Web, Second Life, and new
technology platforms for participation; biobanks and translational research; "crowd-sourcing"
innovation through prize incentives; and patient-centered clinical trials. At a
jam-packed reception later that evening, Sumner Redstone was honored for his generous
contribution to realizing the mission of FasterCures.
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BioBank Central Launches Online Forum to Drive Global Connectivity
among the Biobanking Community
Biobank Central launched BioBank Forum, an online forum to frame the debate and
encourage new ideas on the critical issues in the field and is an interactive vehicle
developed as a first step toward real-time global connectivity within the biobanking
community. “We established the BioBank Forum as a neutral environment where
we can frame the debate and enable all sides of the issues to be raised and discussed
openly,” said Greg Simon, President, FasterCures.
Read the press release
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FasterCures releases report “Clinical Trials
Recruitment and Retention: Best Practices and Promising Approaches”
The FasterCures Patients Helping Doctors program released the report “Clinical
Trials Recruitment and Retention: Best Practices and Promising Approaches,”
this report brought together a mix of people from various viewpoints and disease
groups to focus not on the many challenges, but on the solutions that already show
potential to break down the barriers to filling clinical trials.
Read the report (PDF)
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Strengthening FDA
FasterCures played an active role in the debate over the reform and funding
of FDA that took place in the context of the passage of the FDA Amendments Act of
2007. FasterCures submitted extensive comments supporting PDUFA IV because
we felt PDUFA IV had the potential to contribute to the goal of saving lives by
saving time in making new therapies available for use sooner. Margaret Anderson,
COO of FasterCures serves on the Board of the FDA Alliance, and participated
in numerous congressional visits to discuss increased appropriations for FDA.
FasterCures is committed to working with the FDA to realize the goals outlined
in PDUFA IV and we welcome the opportunity to work with the FDA in developing and
implementing the steps necessary to overcome the obstacles hindering progress on
the critical path to successful drug development.
Read FasterCures comments
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FasterCures launches interactive blog
FasterCures entered the social media arena with the launch of the FasterCures
blog. The FasterCures blog is designed as a place where ideas and actions
can be shared, a place where innovation can be highlighted, and a place to learn
more about how you can be involved.
Check out the FasterCures blog
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Ten to Watch in 2008
FasterCures announced its “Ten to Watch In 2008” list. FasterCures
President Greg Simon recently blogged on the top ten organizations, people, and
ideas that are changing the face of biomedical research in 2008.
Read the FasterCures blog post
