an update on recent accomplishments

We are proud to share that 215 Australian blood cancer patients have gained access to new, cutting-edge therapies since Snowdome formed in 2010. This year has been a record-breaking year in fund raising for Snowdome, and it has also been a record breaking year in granting funds. Snowdome’s ability to quickly fund strategically important projects sets it apart from other organisations.

Over the past four years, Snowdome has supported epigenetic research and supporting activities that increase the availability of epigenetic clinical trials for patients with blood cancers. This support was via funding grants with the Victorian Epigenetic Group (VEG), a consortium of world-class researchers from Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Alfred Hospital, Ludwig Institute, Austin Hospital, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, The Royal Children’s Hospital, Barwon Health, St Vincent’s Hospital, Monash Medical Centre, Cabrini Health and Box Hill Hospital. To date, Snowdome has funded essential infrastructure positions such as:

• Research Fellows to develop and oversee clinical trials;
• Clinical Trials Research Nurse to increase accrual into clinical trials;
• Research Scientist to better understand drugs that might be used in clinical trials; and
• Research Project Managers & Clinical Trials Managers to coordinate clinical trials.

In the first half of 2014, Snowdome extended its funding focus and was instrumental in establishing the Centre of Research Excellence (CRE) in Myeloma. The CRE model is a proven way to accelerate the development of new therapies based on international experience and will lead to more patients gaining access to novel therapies. In the last 12 months, Snowdome has committed over $3 million to the CRE-Myeloma to support ‘personalised genetic medicine’. Specific areas that Snowdome will fund are:
• Database system to collect patient specific information which enhances a patient’s capacity to access new drugs;
• Curator scientists to analyse patient samples;
• Clinical researchers to develop clinical trials;
• Biostatistician to develop/analyse trial data; and
• Database managers to enter patient data to fast-track access to new therapies.

This year has been Snowdome’s most successful and we are proudly achieving our mission of accelerating new treatments to Australians with blood cancer. Nine funding agreements totalling $4 million are currently in various stages of approval and we look forward to keeping you updated on our progress in these innovative areas of blood cancer research.