Accelovance is launching global initiative to advance oncology therapies. The initiative, called HERO—short for “Helping Early Research in Oncology”—presents a rare opportunity for small pharmaceutical companies and biotechnology firms, according to Stephen J. Trevisan, president and CEO.

“We launched HERO because we recognized a pattern of needs among prospective sponsors,” said Trevisan. “There’s no shortage of outsourcing options for therapy developers, but too many of those options simply aren’t viable for sponsors in the early phase.”

Other CROs, said Trevisan, often mold their early phase oncology programs as “feeders” to late-phase research, which results in lack of attention to budding research. By focusing exclusively on early phase oncology research, “we can provide the resources and attention that promising new oncology therapies deserve.”

HERO is replete with the kind of resources, services and functional areas usually accessible to more mature oncology research programs. HERO sponsors receive a dedicated early phase oncology team, and access to one of the industry’s most robust patient recruitment networks. As a result, start-ups can be achieved in as little as eight weeks—half the time of the industry average.

The branding of the program is no coincidence. Accelovance leadership challenged staff, via contest, to come up with a name that represents the spirit of the organization and the goals of the program. After considerable discussion, and a vote, the winning name turned out to be HERO—short for “Helping Early Research in Oncology.”

“HERO is an appropriate name,” said Dr. Harish Dave, chief medical officer. “In talking with colleagues at Accelovance, what stood out most was just how many of us have lost a loved one, a colleague or a close friend to cancer. The work we do here is for them, as much as it for our sponsors and the name of science. That’s what we believe makes us different.”

In celebration of The HERO Initiative’s launch, Accelovance is inviting early phase oncology therapy developers to request complimentary, confidential reviews of their protocol or concept documents. The reviews will be conducted in-person or virtually by qualified team members at Accelovance, and come complete with operational, therapeutic and strategic considerations. Reviews can be requested at Accelovance.com/HERO.