SACRAMENTO, Calif. - PRDelivery -- The ROS1ders, a global group of patients and caregivers living with ROS1+ cancer, announced the inaugural recipients of The ROS1+ Cancer Innovation Award. Funds were raised through individual contributions by patients and supporters. Each award carries a one-year $75,000 seed grant to fund high-risk, high-reward research projects in ROS1+ cancer.

The recipients are:

1. Lynn Heasley, PhD, and Raphael Nemenoff, PhD, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus — Novel murine ROS1+ cancer models for next-generation therapeutics
   This project aims to develop the first genetically engineered mouse that has ROS1+ cancer AND an intact immune system. These mice will enable study of the immune microenvironment surrounding the cancer as well as new treatment options.
2. Jürgen Wolf, MD, University Hospital Cologne (Universitätsklinikum Köln) – An international consortium to generate high-quality real-world evidence for the optimization of treatment strategies in ROS1-positive lung cancer
   This project builds on an existing program in Germany for gathering cancer patient data and samples and expands it to a consortium of countries within the European Union. It's hard to gather enough data on a rare disease like ROS1+ cancer to determine best treatment practices. The database aims to generate evidence that can guide the treatment of patients and improve outcomes.

"Today's ROS1+ cancer community is grateful our lives are extended by years thanks to biomarker testing and targeted therapy," said Janet Freeman-Daily, co-founder and president of The ROS1ders. "However, the currently approved ROS1 drugs don't work well for everyone. Our patient-driven organization aims to encourage more researchers to study our disease, develop effective treatments, and share their results through open science best practices."

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About The ROS1ders

The ROS1ders is the largest global group of patients and family members living with ROS1+ cancer.  It seeks to improve outcomes for all ROS1+ cancers through community, education, and research. The nonprofit is internationally recognized in the oncology and patient advocacy communities as experts in their disease. Please visit theros1ders.org to learn more.

About ROS1+ Cancer

●  ROS1+ cancer is relatively rare, occurring in just 1-2% of non-small cell lung cancer. The incidence is thought to be similar in other types of cancer.
●  Biomarker testing for ROS1 fusions is recommended in guidelines for non-small cell lung cancer, but few other cancers, yet.
●  Patients are typically younger than the average NSCLC patient, have adenocarcinoma, and have no smoking history (a smoking history should not exclude patients from biomarker testing or targeted therapies).
●  Oral targeted therapies are the recommended first-line treatment for metastatic ROS1+ NSCLC and have increased the survival of patients by years.  However, these drugs eventually stop working due to acquired resistance. The mechanisms of resistance are not well understood.

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