Differences in Funding Sources of Phase III Oncology Clinical Trials by Treatment Modality and Cancer Type.
OBJECTIVE
Given the limited resources available to conduct clinical trials, it is important to understand how trial sponsorship differs among different therapeutic modalities and cancer types and to consider the ramifications of these differences.


METHODS
We searched clinicaltrials.gov for a cross-sectional register of active, phase III, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) studying treatment-related endpoints such as survival and recurrence for the 24 most prevalent malignancies. We classified the RCTs into 7 categories of therapeutic modality: (1) chemotherapy/other cancer-directed drugs, (2) targeted therapy, (3) surgery, (4) radiation therapy (RT), (5) RT with other modalities, (6) multimodality therapy without RT, and (7) other. RCTs were categorized as being funded by one or more of the following groups: (1) government, (2) hospital/university, (3) industry, and (4) other. χ analysis was performed to detect differences in funding source distribution between modalities and cancer types.


RESULTS
The percentage of multimodality trials (5%) and radiation RCTs (4%) funded by industry was less than that for chemotherapy (32%, P<0.01) or targeted therapy (48%, P<0.01). Trials studying targeted therapy were less likely to have hospital/university funding than any of the other modalities (P<0.01 in each comparison). Trials of chemotherapy were more likely to be funded by industry if they also studied targeted therapy (P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
RCTs studying targeted therapies are more likely to be funded by industry than trials studying multimodality therapy or radiation. The impact of industry funding versus institutional or governmental sources of funding for cancer research is unclear and requires further study.
*Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT †Department of Radiation Oncology, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT.
Vikram
V
Jairam
James B
JB
Yu
Sanjay
S
Aneja
Lynn D
LD
Wilson
Shane
S
Lloyd
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017326:Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic / Q000191:economics*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000191:economics; D005380:Financing, Government / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy / Q000191:economics; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000191:economics; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000191:economics*; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000191:economics
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents