Episode description

In the previous episode we heard how some rationally-designed therapies work on almost any cancer with the right molecular signature. Tumour-agnostic medications could be godsend for patients with rare cancers which have classically been overlooked by drug developers, and those with advanced cancers of unknown origin. 15,000 such patients have undergone comprehensive genome profiling of their tumours through the organisation, Omico. In this podcast, Omico’s founder explains that while the majority have received recommendations about matched therapies, clinical trials are typically the only way to enable access. Professor David Thomas discusses why Australia’s Health Technology Assessment process appears to be so conservative and how the market price of next-generation oncotherapies might be brought down by changes across the local ecosystem. 

Guest
Prof David Thomas FRACP PhD (Director, Centre for Molecular Oncology UNSW; Founder and Chief of Science, Omico)
 
Professor Thomas or Omico have received grants, consultancies or research support from Roche, Astra Zeneca, Pfizer, Eisai, Illumina, Beigene , Elevation Oncology, RedX Pharmaceuticals, SunPharma , Bayer, George Clinical, Novotech , Merck Sharpe and Dohme, Boehringer Ingelheim, Hummingbird, Microba , BioTessellate , PMV Pharma, Australian Unity and Foundation Medicine. 

Production
Produced by Mic Cavazzini DPhil. Music licenced from Epidemic Sound includes  ‘Multicolor’ and ‘Pulse Voyage’ by Chill Cole. ‘Impulsing’, ‘the City of Hope’ ‘Over Again’, and ‘Going Undercover’ by Borrtex provided courtesy of FreeMusicArchive. Image by Guido Mieth licenced through Getty Images. 
 
Editorial feedback kindly provided by RACP physicians Simeon Wong, Stephen Bacchi. Thanks also to Kym Bramich and Arnika Martus on staff with Omico and RACP respectively.  

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