How OnkoCWBK is revolutionizing clinical trials in oncology – a new era of treatment in Łódź

The Oncology Clinical Research Support Center (OnkoCWBK), operating at the Nicolaus Copernicus Provincial Oncology Center in Łódź, is becoming a regional leader in innovative clinical trials and cancer therapies. Thanks to the support of the Medical Research Agency and its comprehensive hospital infrastructure, OnkoCWBK significantly increases the availability of modern therapies, including CAR-T therapy, for patients across Poland.

The Oncology Clinical Research Support Center in Łódź is a unique facility, established with over PLN 7.2 million in funding from the Medical Research Agency. The Center operates within the largest oncology hospital in the region – the Nicolaus Copernicus Provincial Multi-Specialty Center for Oncology and Traumatology. The hospital has 31 departments, 840 beds, and treats over 80,000 patients annually.

These resources give OnkoCWBK extensive capabilities to conduct comprehensive, high-quality clinical trials, both commercial and non-commercial. The center is organized under a shared services model, allowing for efficient coordination of medical experiments—from the planning stage, through monitoring, to reporting and billing.

One of the key goals of OnkoCWBK is to improve patient access to innovative cancer therapies. As emphasized by the Center's representatives, significant emphasis is placed on the development of targeted therapies, immunotherapy, and personalized treatment.

Currently, OnkoCWBK has over 110 active clinical trials underway, including 68 with international status. These are predominantly hematooncology studies, but projects are also underway in neurology, cardiology, and, in the pediatric population, allergology, cystic fibrosis, and immune system diseases.

The strength of the Oncology Clinical Research Support Center in Łódź lies in its team. Currently, it employs 24 principal investigators and 73 co-investigators representing various medical disciplines. These experts utilize state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment, including PET-CT, SPECT-CT, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, and radiotherapy accelerators.

OnkoCWBK plays an important role in the Polish Clinical Trials Network, actively collaborating with research sponsors, CROs, patient organizations, and primary care providers. One of the Center's strengths is its comprehensive support for patients and physicians at every stage of the clinical trial, as well as systems supporting participant recruitment and data management.

The unit's operating model is based on shared services, which means that administrative staff, research coordinators, and support teams work on multiple projects simultaneously, optimizing resources and increasing operational efficiency.

Despite its dynamic growth, the Oncology Clinical Research Support Center in Łódź faces significant challenges. One of these is the continued increase in the number of non-commercial trials, which require extensive organizational and financial support. Another challenge is the need to deepen collaboration with primary care providers and patient organizations to increase public awareness and facilitate the recruitment of study participants.

The Center's management indicates that the future belongs to personalized therapies and translational research.

Development plans include expanding therapeutic areas, increasing the number of international projects, and building long-term partnerships with research centers, sponsors, and research institutions.

Source: ABM/MH