Inaugural Translational & Clinical Research Flagship Programme

04 Jul 2007

Ministry of Health and A*Star Joint Press Statement on the Inaugural Translational & Clinical Research Flagship Programme Awarded to Gastric Cancer Research

A project to improve early detection and treatment for gastric cancer has been awarded $25 million over 5 years under the first Translational Clinical Research Flagship Programme from the National Medical Research Council (NMRC) of the Ministry of Health. Cancer patients will stand to benefit from the project, “The Singapore Gastric Cancer Consortium (SGCC) – Improving Outcomes for Our Patients”, as the project aims to improve the early detection of gastric cancer by discovering biomarkers at an early stage and developing molecular classifications that can robustly predict disease behaviour and treatment response.

Significance of the SGCC TCR Flagship Programme

Gastric cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Particularly common in East Asia, gastric cancer is the fourth commonest cancer in Singapore among males. Although it is curable at an early stage, it usually has a poor prognosis because of late detection. In Singapore, about 600 new patients with gastric cancer are diagnosed every year and each year about 400 patients succumb to the disease.

The project is a collaborative effort involving leading clinicians and scientists working in gastric cancer research. This is a significant milestone for Singapore’s Biomedical Science (BMS) Phase II initiative to promote translation and clinical research in Singapore. The BMS Executive Committee co-chaired by the Permanent Secretary of Health, Ms Yong Ying-I, and the Chairman of A*STAR, Mr Lim Chuan Poh, coordinates and drives the effort to strengthen Singapore’s capability and capacity for translational and clinical research (TCR), focusing on establishing strong flagship research programmes, and developing human capital (both local and foreign).

Funded by the National Research Foundation (NRF), the inaugural TCR Flagship Programme is a prestigious award for strategic TCR research in these 5 core areas: cancer, cardiovascular/metabolic disorders, neurosciences, infectious diseases and eye diseases.

Ms Yong Ying-I, Permanent Secretary (Ministry of Health) and Co-Chair of the Biomedical Sciences Executive Committee says: “This first flagship TCR grant to SGCC is a testimony of how we draw on the strengths and capabilities of our local clinician scientists to bring potentially significant benefits to patients in Singapore and possibly elsewhere in the world. The SGCC proposal is a well-integrated and collaborative project that shows the high standards that Singapore is capable of achieving in biomedical research. We will support more of such projects under the TCR Flagship Programme as we aim to establish Singapore as the leader in strategic disease research areas.”

SGCC Project

The SGCC proposal was selected out of a total 17 applications during an NMRC grant call launched in October 2006.  The proposal underwent a rigorous review process by the TCR Flagship Review Committee, comprising local members and selected members of the International Advisory Council (IAC) as well as an international peer review process by independent experts in the area of cancer research. The proposal was selected for its significant clinical benefits to patients; its strong potential for establishing a leading centre in Asia for translational clinical research in oncology; and the creation of strong partnerships with both local and international research organisations. It also provided a strong platform for future genomic and clinical studies.

Prof Edward Holmes, Executive Chairman, National Medical Research Council says: “This is an important milestone for the development of translational and clinical research in Singapore. The potential outcome of this research programme is very significant. Clinically, it could lead to improvement in mortality rates for gastric cancer patients. With more accurate detection and effective treatment methods, the likelihood of a cure for these patients will be higher. From the research perspective, the programme helps to establish important foundations for future research in the area of oncology and may spin off other benefits in the management of cancer patients.”

The Research Programme

The research programme will focus on 4 themes: 

• Improving early detection of gastric cancer 

• Improving biologic understanding of how gastric cancer develops

• Studying why gastric cancer develops in some people and not others (this may give clues to future prevention)

• Improving treatment by well-designed clinical trials combined with genetic testing of tumours

It will be organised around three modules, which will be carried out by National University of Singapore (NUS), National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) and National University Hospital (NUH):

• The NUS module is built around two key ongoing clinical studies and relevant research laboratories in the university. These studies are focused on improving the early detection of gastric cancer to enable diagnosis at an early stage and hence cure.  Patients participating in the Cohort Study, involving 4,000 subjects, will benefit from early screening and detection of cancer. Their participation allows the study of biomarkers which it is hoped, will present a future means of detecting early cancer or risk of cancer by a blood test. This is not available currently. The team is also investigating innovative methods to detect early cancers as well as robotic enhancement to enable more complete removal of early cancer lesions.

• The NCCS module will focus on the genetic analysis of gastric cancer in collaboration with the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), A*STAR. Through these studies, the NCCS team will develop genetic strategies for delivering optimised and personalised treatment plans for patients with gastric cancer, and also identify novel molecular targets for designing new gastric cancer therapies.  In addition, the NCCS will support a number of NUS-initiated projects by providing access to genomic analysis platforms and analytical expertise.

• The NUH module will focus on clinical trials. The aims are to: 1) provide the infrastructure for early drug development offering all newly-diagnosed gastric cancer patients enrolment in clinical trials appropriate to the type of treatment needed; and 2) to promote optimal use of anti-cancer drugs through application of pharmacogenetic¹  and molecular biomarkers. Through the partnership with international groups Cancer Therapeutic Research Group² and Mayo Clinic Phase II consortium, the doctors will have access to new drugs from USA’s National Cancer Institute (NCI) Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program.

Synergies and collaborations

The SGCC draws on the best scientific expertise available in Singapore, combining the clinical strengths of the four largest public teaching hospitals (NUH, CGH, SGH, TTSH), with scientific expertise in NUS, NCCS, Nanyang Technological University and leading research institutes such as the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), BioInformatics Institute (BII) and the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) under the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR).

In addition, it is linked to the International Cancer Biomarker Consortium³ at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Centre in Seattle, USA and is a member of the Asia-Pacific Research Group on Gastric Cancer, a 10-nation collaboration on screening of population groups at high risk of gastric cancer. 

“In recent years, there have been several collaborations between clinicians and scientists to bring research from bench-to-bedside to benefit healthcare.  As we enter the second phase of the Biomedical Sciences Initiative, we want to step up efforts to significantly enhance such collaborations.  This first TCR grant to SGCC is a good illustration of how Singapore seeks to focus and integrate the research and clinical efforts of both the scientists and clinicians across institutions and agencies in order to achieve impactful outcomes for Singaporeans and Singapore.  This first program has set a new benchmark in the scale and level of collaboration between and among scientists and clinicians.  We hope to see comparable level of collaboration and synergy in future flagship programmes.  Taken together, it is our hope that the TCR Flagship Program framework will catalyse a change in how our scientists and clinicians collaborate with each other in translational and clinical research to positively impact patient care and treatment as well as to position Singapore as a biomedical research hub,” says Mr Lim Chuan Poh, Chairman, A*STAR and Co-Chair of the Biomedical Sciences Executive Committee.

The TCR Flagship Programme

The aim of the TCR Flagship Programme is to establish Singapore as a leader in a number of strategic disease orientated areas.  It achieves this by building on existing, local, highly competitive programmes and providing highly productive platforms for collaboration with top overseas research institutions and industry.

The programme aims to help build up a critical mass of excellent researchers in selected areas.  This will help to position Singapore as a leader in scientific and medical research, in addition to improving the quality of clinical care. This in turn would attract more foreign patients to seek care in Singapore, and also attract biotech, medical devices and pharmaceutical companies to locate here.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------¹ The study of genetic factors that influence human’s response to a drug.

² The CTRG is a research collaboration between the National University of Hospital, National University of Singapore, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Johns Hopkins International Medical Centre, National Cancer Centre, Sydney Cancer Centre, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and Yonsei Cancer Centre to engage the expertise of these institutions in developing novel therapy for cancer through cancer trials.

³ More information on theInternational Cancer Biomarker Consortium at http://www.fhcrc.org/science/international_biomarker/

About A*STAR

The Agency for Science, Technology and Research, or A*STAR, is Singapore's lead agency for fostering world-class scientific research and talent for a vibrant knowledge-based Singapore.  A*STAR actively nurtures public sector research and development in Biomedical Sciences, Physical Sciences and Engineering, with a particular focus on fields essential to Singapore's manufacturing industry and new growth industries.  It oversees 14 research institutes and supports extramural research with the universities, hospital research centres and other local and international partners.

At the heart of this knowledge intensive work is human capital. Top local and international scientific talent drive knowledge creation at A*STAR research institutes.  The Agency also sends scholars for undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral training in the best universities, a reflection of the high priority A*STAR places on nurturing the next generation of scientific talent.

For more information, please visit: www.a-star.edu.sg.

About the National Medical Research Council (NMRC)

The National Medical Research Council or NMRC oversees the development and advancement of medical research in Singapore. It provides research funds to healthcare institutions, awards competitive research funds for individual projects and is responsible for the development of clinician-scientists through awards and fellowships. The NMRC is appointed by the Minister for Health with a mandate to lead, promote, co-ordinate and fund medical research in Singapore.

NMRC-funded research has led to inter-disciplinary partnerships and international collaborations. It also evaluates the outcomes of the research projects and facilitates the commercialization of research findings. Since its inception in 1994, it has built up the medical research capabilities in Singapore through the funding of more than 1000 individual research projects and 13 national research programmes.

For more information, please visit: www.nmrc.gov.sg