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VOLUME 13 | ISSUE 3
FEATURE
“For the loved ones we’ve all lost, for
the families that we can still save,
let’s make America the country that
cures cancer once and for all.”
President Barack Obama, State of the Union
Address, January 12, 2016
The Cancer Moonshot Initiative Some key functions of this task force include3
• accelerating our understanding of cancer and its prevention,
Ashley Glode, PharmD BCOP
Clinical Oncology Pharmacy Specialist early detection, treatment, and cure
University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy
and Pharmaceutical Sciences • improving patient access and care
Assistant Professor
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus • supporting greater access to new research, data, and compu-
Aurora, CO tational abilities
In 2016, during his State of the Union Address, President Barack • encouraging the development of cancer treatments
Obama appointed Vice President Joe Biden to lead the Cancer
Moonshot Initiative.1 It is so named as a “call to humankind to be • identifying and addressing any unnecessary regulatory barri-
bold and do big things” in reference to President Kennedy’s call ers and considering ways to expedite administrative reforms
to land on the moon.2 The goal of this initiative is to “eliminate
cancer as we know it” and identify new ways to prevent, diagnose, • ensuring optimal investment of federal resources
and treat this disease.1 The Moonshot aims to accelerate research
efforts and break down barriers to progress by enhancing access to • identifying opportunities to develop public-private part-
data and fostering collaborations among key players. By bringing nerships and increasing coordination of the federal govern-
together researchers, doctors, philanthropies, patients and patient ment’s efforts with the private sector as appropriate.
advocates, and biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, the
initiative aims to double the rate of progress toward a cure for Following the announcement of the President’s Moonshot Ini-
cancer. tiative, the Cancer Moonshot 2020 Program was created under the
leadership of Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong as a comprehensive collabo-
The Cancer Moonshot Initiative Task Force consists of heads of rative cancer enterprise with the focus of developing combination
executive branch departments, agencies, and offices.3 This initia- immunotherapy as the next generation standard of care in treating
tive was funded by 1 billion federal dollars to spur momentum for cancer patients.4 This national coalition consists of individuals
this project with the promise of continued funding. The Task Force from large pharmaceutical, biotech, major payer, and Fortune 500
serves in an advisory role and will concentrate on maximizing companies; academia; and community oncology to work toward
federal investments, targeted incentives, private sector efforts one common goal: to initiate randomized Phase 2 trials and enroll
from industry and philanthropy, patient engagement initiatives, 20,000 patients at all stages of disease who have 20 different
and other mechanisms to support cancer research and expedite tumor types. These data will be utilized to create Phase 3 trials and
progress in treatment and care. The Task Force is working with de- the development of an effective vaccine-based immunotherapy
partments and agencies focused on basic, translational, and clinical treatment to combat cancer by 2020.
research; therapy development; regulation of medical products;
and medical care related to cancer. Vice President Joe Biden spoke at the most recent American
Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting on June 6 in Chicago,
encouraging attendees and members to work together on this
initiative.5 He emphasized that there should be a team approach to
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