Thursday, October 22, 2026

1:45 PM - 2:30 PM

Plenary / Clinical Innovation & Patient Impact Breakout Room

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Overview

Sponsored by: SYNEOS HEALTH

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Details

Developing therapies for small and underrepresented patient populations remains one of the most persistent challenges in clinical research. Using paediatric cancer as a powerful case study, this panel will examine why traditional development models often struggle where patient numbers are limited, disease biology is distinct, and trial access is uneven. Panellists will explore how innovative and more efficient trial designs, mechanism-based development, regulatory flexibility, and earlier collaboration can help accelerate evidence generation and improve access to promising therapies. The discussion will also consider practical barriers, including site and investigator capacity, recruitment across geographically dispersed populations, limited commercial incentives, and the need for stronger coordination among industry, academia, regulators, cooperative groups, patients, and families. By connecting lessons from paediatric oncology with other rare and underserved conditions, the session will identify pragmatic, cross-sector approaches that can make development more feasible, inclusive, and responsive to populations for whom conventional pathways are often too slow. Sponsored by:

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Speaker