Icon Group launches theranostics research program: World Cancer Research Day

The Australian nuclear medicine landscape is a mix of public and private sector facilities providing not only high-quality routine care to patients, but also cutting-edge research in diagnostic and therapeutic nuclear medicine. In alignment with World Cancer Research Day 2024, Icon Group has unveiled its theranostics research program which aims to broaden access to precision medicine and pioneering clinical trials.

Theranostics employs advanced diagnostic tests to pinpoint specific biomarkers, facilitating the creation of personalised therapies that more effectively target cancer cells while minimising harm to healthy tissue. This approach signifies a significant leap forward in cancer treatment, underscoring the importance of tailored medicine.

Icon initiated its first theranostics program in 2023 at the Icon Cancer Centre North Lakes in Brisbane’s northern suburbs and is committed to expanding these services across its centers in Australia and ASEAN.

Julie Crouch, Icon’s Group Director of Molecular Oncology, expressed her enthusiasm for this innovative program, stating, “Molecular oncology is seeing significant advances, and we’ve had a real positive start to our theranostics program at North Lakes which is giving people greater access to this treatment.”

She added, “We’re now looking forward to contributing to clinical trials that have the aim of transforming this cutting-edge treatment and providing new lines of therapies to not only people in Queensland, but nationally and into Singapore.”

Novartis-sponsored ENZA-P and Upfront trials add to the theranostics studies being conducted in Australia. The ENZA-p clinical trial aims to compare the efficacy of Pfizer-Astellas Xtandi (enzalutamide) in combination with Pluvicto (177Lu-PSMA617), versus Xtandi alone for the treatment of prostate cancer. The Upfront is a study of sequential Pluvicto and docetaxel versus docetaxel alone in metastatic hormone-naïve prostate cancer.

Icon’s theranostics research program is spearheaded by Icon Group Executive Manager Sophie Mepham, alongside Julie Crouch, Clinical Director for Molecular Imaging and Nuclear Oncology (Asia Pacific), Dr Nat Lenzo, and Nuclear Medicine Physician A/Professor David Macfarlane.

The program is set to launch its initial trials at both the Icon Cancer Centre North Lakes and Icon Cancer Centre Kurralta Park in Adelaide later this year, under the local guidance of Clinical Research Coordinator Team Lead Jesse Peet (North Lakes) and State Research Coordinator Manager Sue Yeend (Adelaide).

“At Icon, we’re fortunate to have highly experienced and internationally recognised molecular oncology specialists and a centralised research team pushing forward advancements in precision medicine,” noted Crouch.

She further emphasised, “Our global integrated network will allow for the safe and efficient rollout of theranostics research, which we intend to introduce to Singapore next year and into the United Kingdom in the future.”

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