Merck & Co sets up cancer trial network to speed development of cancer drugs and vaccines

US drug giant Merck & Co has announced the launch of the Merck Oncology Collaborative Trials Network, a pioneering clinical trial network focusing on the development of the company's drug and vaccine candidates being investigated for the treatment and prevention of cancer. The global network comprises leading cancer research centers who will partner with Merck to speed the development of innovative treatments for a range of cancers, it stated.

According to a recent US Institute of Medicine report, about half of collaborative cancer studies are never completed due to cumbersome procedures, bureaucracy and poor coordination. The report suggested that collaborative research approaches could be improved by reducing the number of sites, properly funding research efforts, setting strict deadlines and prioritizing studies based on potential. The Merck Oncology Collaborative Trials Network embodies many of these principles, the drug major says.

Urgent need for effective cancer treatments