A new fast-tracked approach to clinical trials are taking place at the Barrow Neurological Institute at Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center. Brain tumor specialists have begun a new type of early-phase clinical trials called “Phase 0 Trials”. These trials involve just one brain tumor patient that is given an investigational drug already proven to be safe in other types of cancer. Each drug is evaluated for about six months instead of the average five years. Neurosurgeons remove the brain tumor shortly after drug administration to determine if it has affected the tumor. If it works then the drug moves into a Phase 2 clinical trial for more patients. If it doesn’t work then the patient may be able to try another research study.
These clinical trials can answer the question of whether a drug can penetrate the blood-brain barrier. Once a drug make it through the barrier then the issues of safety and efficacy are further investigated. Read more of this story by clicking here.
