Massive Bio Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer Arturo Loaiza-Bonilla, M.D., joined Clinical Research News senior writer Deborah Borfitz on her podcast, “The Scope of Things.” Describing Massive Bio’s efforts to make clinical trials more accessible to cancer patients, Loaiza-Bonilla said that 85% of patients were unaware that clinical trials were an option at the time of diagnosis, 80% of trials did not meet enrollment timelines, and two-thirds of oncology trials had low enrollment. “As nearly 2 million people are diagnosed annually, the underutilization of cancer research as a viable treatment option has quickly become a worrying problem,” said Loaiza-Bonilla. “One of the first hurdles we face in cancer is that many patients do not have a (detailed) conversation with their medical oncologist.”

Many cancer patients are reluctant to enroll in clinical trials because they believe that participating in one will prevent them from receiving the traditional standard of care, which is a misconception. “You’re never put in a position where you don’t get the right treatment,” Loaiza-Bonilla reassured listeners, emphasizing the importance of educating patients about clinical trials and helping those who want to participate in one to find and enroll in the right study. “If the patient is familiar with potential clinical trials—before their first appointment—then it will encourage trial adoption and the patient’s enrollment to participate in the trial. You can increase it by 50%.” Loaiza-Bonilla explained how Massive Bio’s artificial intelligence-powered platform matches cancer patients to oncology clinical trials, regardless of where they live.

You can hear the “Scope of Things” interview with Loaiza-Bonilla here.