Enhancing Care and Support for Patients Living with Metastatic Breast Cancer

 

Pfizer Oncology today announced the launch of a technology innovation challenge – Advancing Care for Patients Living with mBC – a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to find new technology-enabled solutions that help support and empower patients with metastatic breast cancer (mBC) around the world. A total of $250,000 in prize funding will be awarded for technology-enabled solutions with the greatest potential to enrich the lives of patients with mBC. 

 

Leading submissions will be reviewed by an international steering committee made up of oncology healthcare providers, mBC patients and cancer survivors, and innovation, oncology and technology experts from Pfizer. The challenge will culminate in a live pitch event in May 2017, where a grand prize winner and a runner up will be selected.  The grand prize winner will receive $130,000 over the course of the challenge. 

 

“I was diagnosed with mBC two years ago and have become intimately aware of the need for resources and tools that help make it possible to live a full life with this disease,” said Miriam Slome, a member of the steering committee who will be responsible for reviewing the submissions and selecting the finalists. “I am truly inspired to be part of a program that will harness the power of technology to support people living with mBC, and I am looking forward to evaluating the submitted applications.”

 

Technology is becoming an increasingly important component of the patient experience.  “And we believe it can make a significant difference in the lives of patients with mBC,” said Maria Koehler, MD, PhD, vice president, Strategy, Innovation and Collaboration, Pfizer Oncology. “With this program, we hope to bring forward tech-based solutions that help to redefine life with this disease – helping women with mBC gain more control over their medical care, enhance their relationships with their treatment and support networks, and live their daily lives as fully as possible.” 

 

Metastatic breast cancer, the most advanced stage of breast cancer, occurs when cancer spreads beyond the breast to other parts of the body, including the bones, liver, lungs or brain.¹,²  While significant progress has been made in mBC over the past decade, substantial gaps remain in care and support, as identified by the Global Status of Metastatic Breast Cancer: A 2005 – 2015 Decade Report. The report, the most comprehensive analysis of the global mBC landscape over the past decade, was developed by Pfizer Oncology working collaboratively with the European School of Oncology (ESO) within the scope of the Advanced Breast Cancer Third International Consensus Conference (ABC3). 

 

The challenge is designed to build on the gaps that were revealed in the report.  Applicants are invited to develop disruptive technology-based solutions that meet at least one of the following key needs:

 

• An intuitive, customizable and tailored care management solution that improves care and disease management for patients living with mBC, incorporating a comprehensive approach to well-being across the care continuum
• Solutions to support mBC patients with their daily living and enrich their lives 
• Solutions to help patients living with mBC engage and support one another

Organizations, developers, entrepreneurs, designers and innovators are encouraged to submit applications at www.AdvancingMBCPatientCare.com by December 2, 2016. Entries will be evaluated based on several criteria, including creativity and innovation, ability to address one or more of the mBC patient needs outlined by the challenge, overall design and intuitiveness of the solution, and feasibility of implementation. Five semi-finalists will be selected in January  to receive mentorship from industry experts and an mBC patient who will provide guidance on the development of their solutions. Three finalists will then be selected to participate in the live pitch event.

 

¹ National Cancer Institute. What you need to know about™ breast cancer. http://www.cancer.gov/publications/patient-education/WYNTK_breast.pdf. Updated August 2012. Accessed September 27, 2016.

² American Cancer Society. Breast Cancer. http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/cid/documents/webcontent/003090-pdf.pdf. Accessed September 27, 2016.