A New Digital Platform Aims to Expand Access to Early Oncology Trials

The START Hope Hub is a digital platform designed to connect patients, caregivers, physicians, and advocacy groups to early-phase cancer trials.

The START Hope Hub, a robust new digital platform designed to break down barriers to early-phase trial access, is now available for patients with cancer and physicians, according to a press release from the world's largest early-phase community-based cancer trial site network, The START Center for Cancer Research ("START").

The Hope Hub provides fast access to START’s more-than-720 cancer clinical trials and educational resources, connecting patients, caregivers, advocacy groups, and referring oncologists, bringing “Hope Through Access” to underserved communities and patients. Although more than 80% of patients with cancer receive care in community settings, most early-phase trials are still based at major academic centers. Therefore, this leaves many patients without access to emerging therapies. The START Hope Hub was created to bridge that gap.

“The START Hope Hub is a major leap forward in how we bring cancer clinical trials, oncology trial resources, and empathetic navigators to patients and their treating oncologists. For nearly 20 years, START has been focused on delivering our mission of ‘hope through access’ by bringing cutting-edge clinical trial options to patients and their physicians where care is delivered,” Nick Slack, chairman and CEO of START, stated in the news release.

“Since day one, we have believed that comprehensive cancer care, which includes trials, should be available to all patients and physicians — not just those in Academic Medical Centers. ‘Access’ to trials transcends the trial itself. It requires critical information about trial options, helpful and easy-to-navigate resources, and patient-focused professionals who can help patients, or their physicians, identify an appropriate path to gain access to a trial when needed. Underpinning this important initiative is a focus on human-to-human interaction. The Hope Hub is the next step in START's evolution, ensuring that access to trials is not limited by geography,” Slack continued.

How Does The START Hope Hub Work?

The START Hope Hub is a vital tool for patient advocacy organizations, as it provides real-time trial information to share with patient communites. By connecting the right patients to the right trials earlier, the START Hope Hub may accelerate access to care and improve outcomes. START’s Hope Team supports every referral and inquiry, ensuring patients and physicians are never alone in the process.

Moreover, the platform was developed with both advanced technology and a patient-centered approach. The Hope Hub integrates intelligent trial-matching tools with personalized human support, assisting patients and referring oncologists to explore clinical trial options more quickly and confidently. Users can search by location, proximity, disease type, medical condition, study ID, and other criteria. Overall, according to the press release, START Hope Hub offers a centralized access point to START’s global research network, with over 720 active trials covering all major tumor types and biomarkers.

Additionally, the START Hope Hub provides strategic value by reinforcing START’s ability to efficiently enroll trials. This supports faster delivery of promising therapies to patients who need them, as well as helps streamline the drug development timeline. As the platform evolves with START’s growing site network, the START Hope Hub will be an essential asset for those looking to reach patients, open and complete early-phase trials more efficiently and reduce cycle times.

“As a physician, I know how daunting it can be for families to explore clinical trials,” Dr. Chris Takimoto, global chief medical officer at START, explained. “What the START Hope Hub provides is clarity, connection, and most importantly—possibility. It empowers oncologists and caregivers alike to explore the right options at the right time for the patients who need them most.”

For more news on cancer updates, research and education, don’t forget to subscribe to CURE®’s newsletters here.