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Scholars from the first five cohorts of the Robert A. Winn Excellence in Clinical Trials program (Winn Awards), of which VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center is an implementation partner, gathered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to celebrate the lasting partnership between scientific researchers from across the country and medical industry leaders in making clinical trials more available to all.

“This program addresses one of the biggest national crises that we have - not getting enough people enrolled in clinical trials, particularly those from at-risk populations and rural areas,” said Robert A. Winn, M.D., director of Massey, namesake and founding member of the Winn Awards. “Not everyone is benefitting from the 36% fewer people dying from cancer, and that in part is because of the lack of access to clinical trials. We are addressing that head on.”

The Winn Awards seeks to improve participation in clinical trials to drive better health outcomes in all communities and save lives.

Based out of Massey, the Winn Awards was founded by the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation in 2020, which funds the program alongside Gilead Sciences, Amgen and Genentech. The program was named for Winn,  director and Lipman Chair in Oncology at Massey, to honor his pioneering achievements in research and community engagement.

The Winn Career Development Award (CDA) program is addressing a critical challenge in medicine: clinical trials have historically not included many populations due to a variety of cultural, socioeconomic and geographic barriers. This lack of representation can lead to poorer health outcomes for these groups because treatments that work in people from one genetic background might not work – or may even harm – those from another. It is also important that all communities have access to the most cutting-edge treatments.

“If we want to achieve better health outcomes for all, we need better science — and that means science that includes everyone,” said Joy L. Jones, Ph.D., executive director of the Winn Awards. “Our scholars are on the front lines of that transformation, building trust, changing systems and ensuring that every patient has access to the latest medical advances.”

Albuquerque served as the setting for this year’s convening, offering a meaningful backdrop for discussions on improving Indigenous health outcomes. The program included a featured panel on cultural considerations in clinical research and approaches to increase Indigenous participation in clinical trials.

The keynote address, delivered by Dr. Nancy Pandhi M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., professor and associate chair in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of New Mexico, focused on improving health care delivery for vulnerable populations through health services innovation and patient-centered engagement.

“Our scholars are deeply committed to advancing patient-centered care and community-driven research. We are eager to learn from local experts about best practices for partnering with Indigenous communities,” said Megan Becker, Ph.D., executive director of the Winn CDA. “Albuquerque offers a powerful setting for these critical conversations and collaborations.” 

The Connections with Industry panel served as the biggest highlight of the partnerships at multiple levels. Winn scholars not only got the opportunity to ask questions of the leaders at Genentech, Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Gilead Sciences, and the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer, but also were able to work together to identify pathways from turning an idea into a clinical trial for communities that need it the most.

Gabriel Tinoco, M.D., FACP, a Winn Award scholar currently recruiting patients to a clinical trial on a Study of All-Trans Retinoic Acid and Cemiplimab in Patients With Advanced Leiomyosarcoma, shared his experience pitching ideas to industry.

“It’s critical that you engage with companies,” Tinoco said. “I tell them what I do and my institution, and I want to build a relationship. It takes time, they get to know you, but I engage as early as possible, and then I’m in the door when they have a trial they’re looking for a partnership on.”

Namrata Chandhok, M.D., scholar and assistant professor of clinical medicine at the University of Miami who recently published “Just and Equitable Enrollment to Pivotal Clinical Trials in Hematologic Malignancies” in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, shared how she pursues clinical trial opportunities.

“When you want to be part of a trial, reach out even if you know the answer might be ‘no,’” she said. “If someone else at your institution is opening a study, try to enroll patients and show that you’re interested, then you can be involved in the next phase.”

“Being intentional in partnering with investigators who are working in the community engagement space is a major priority,” said Osa Eisele of Amgen.

Similarly, Monica Eason of Genentech shared the group’s eagerness to reach every community.

“We’re looking for community-oriented clinical trialists,” Eason remarked to the scholars. “It’s you all that know how to do that best, and we are looking to collaborate with you. The earlier we have conversations with you, the better.”

Many of the panelists also stressed the importance of collaboration and determination to pursue better science and better outcomes for all, particularly when putting together and pitching ideas for clinical trials.

“If you get a no, our interests are constantly evolving…so keep your eye on it, because a no might not mean a no,” said Jill Massey of Gilead Sciences.

“If you hit a barrier, continue to follow up so things don’t get bogged down. Because at the end of the day, we’re trying to further the science,” added John-Michael Thomas from Bristol Myers Squibb.

Karen Kelly, M.D., from the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer encouraged collaboration and relationship-building in the industry, and among other clinical trialists.

“Be accountable, be engaged, show your face, that is very important,” Kelly said. “Be proactive and build those relationships, that will make you shine, that’s impact. It’s only through partnerships that we can accelerate cures for cancer.”

Winn CDA is a two-year program designed to support the career development of early-stage investigator physicians who have a demonstrated commitment to transforming and expanding access to the clinical research landscape. They will become community-oriented clinical trialists who will drive improved health outcomes through their research and mentoring.

The Winn Awards recently announced 79 new physician-researchers from across the United States have been selected to join the fifth annual cohort of the Winn Career Development Award program, which features a rigorous two-year curriculum designed to advance community-focused clinical research.

The Winn Awards, an independent charitable organization, exists to address one of medicine’s most persistent challenges: ensuring that all patients, particularly those not typically enrolled in research, benefit from cutting-edge science. Its mission is to improve participation in clinical studies so that treatments developed are tested, safe, and effective for all who will use them, and that people in hard-to-reach communities have better access to the latest advances in medicine.

The Winn Awards accomplishes this by implementing programs to train and educate a national network of community-oriented clinical trialists. The two-year Winn CDA program is the only program of its kind that provides rigorous training in both clinical trial design and implementation as well as the science of community engagement. Each scholar receives a two-year, $240,000 award that secures protected time to pursue research, deepen community partnerships and advance clinical trial access – all while continuing to care for patients in the communities they serve. 

Currently, the program’s research areas include cancer, cardiovascular disease and immunologic disorders. Through an intensive experience that blends research, formal instruction, mentorship, hands-on experience, in-depth workshops, annual convenings, and a capstone project, Winn CDA scholars become experts in conducting community-oriented trials that achieve maximum generalizability through superior recruitment, enrollment, and retention – particularly in communities that historically have low participation in clinical studies.

Written by: Nicole Hansen