RareCan

Researchers around the world are looking at better ways to diagnose and treat rare cancers. Today there are 740 global life sciences companies investing in 950 products that include a rare cancer target. This translates into an accelerating number of clinical trials taking place, all requiring access to consenting patients, secure data, and bio-samples. If not readily available to researchers, desperately needed progress in this area becomes at-risk. RareCan offers a rich source of valuable information to researchers, providing rapid, joined up access to patients, data and bio-samples. We represent an unparalleled opportunity to accelerate research into rare cancers now and in the future. By connecting consenting patients with leading researchers, RareCan is pioneering a new platform of a large and growing patient community with a BioResource, giving researchers access to tissue and blood samples, as well as genetic data, to improve the prevention, diagnosis or treatment of rare cancers. This reduces the time taken to provide samples for research purposes from months to weeks. The platform enables researchers to find the exact patients or tissue needed for their rare cancer targets. This means RareCan can build precise cohorts of trial participants, and enable the delivery of histology-independent trials, targeting genetic mutations common across a range of different rare cancers, including solid tumour types associated with cancers such as breast, colorectal and pancreatic. RareCan is the first and only company in the market to bring together ‘consent to contact’ patient recruitment, an abundance of data to ensure accurate screening, and access to bio-samples and genetics. This is the future of clinical research. RareCan is supported by a network of NHS Trusts, including Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and patient organisations, including GIST Cancer UK.