Abstract 20: Development of International Cancer Research Partnerships Through the NCI US-Latin American-Caribbean HIV/HPV-Cancer Prevention Clinical Trials Network (ULACNet)

Abstract

Purpose: Persons living with HIV have elevated risks of HPV-related cervical, anogenital, and oropharyngeal cancers. Yet, research on optimization and implementation of prevention interventions (prophylactic HPV vaccination, cervical and anogenital cancer screening and triage, and precancer therapeutics) for HPV-related cancers among persons living with HIV has been limited. With a goal to expand this evidence, and building on strong academic research partnerships developed for HIV research between institutions in the US and the Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC) region, the US National Cancer Institute (NCI) initiated ULACNet, a new Cooperative Agreement clinical trials network in 2019. Methods: ULACNet comprises of three Partnership Centers each led by US-based institutions (University of California San Francisco, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center), working collaboratively with US and LAC institutions and with the NCI to develop and conduct multicenter prevention clinical trials focused on filling key scientific gaps and evaluating novel interventions. Results: ULACNet encompasses six countries (US, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Peru, and Dominican Republic), twenty partner institutions, and over 100 collaborating scientific investigators, clinical and public health practitioners, research staff, and patient advocates. ULACNet will collaboratively conduct nine prevention clinical trials (two prophylactic HPV vaccine trials in adults and perinatally-HIV infected adolescents, three trials for clinical validation of molecular biomarkers and imaging technologies for screening and triage, two candidate HPV therapeutic vaccine trials, and two trials of topical therapeutic agents). Facilitation across network partners is achieved via a Coordinating Committee and three Working Groups (focused on HPV testing and screening, precancer treatment, and recruitment and retention activities). Conclusion: ULACNet seeks to leverage established academic global health partnerships to conduct high quality collaborative clinical trials to inform clinical practice and ultimately reduce the burden of highly preventable HPV-related cancers in persons living with HIV worldwide. Citation Format: Emma Brofsky, Margaret House, Brandy Heckman-Stoddard, Mostafa Nokta, Satish Gopal, Vikrant Sahasrabuddhe. Development of International Cancer Research Partnerships Through the NCI US-Latin American-Caribbean HIV/HPV-Cancer Prevention Clinical Trials Network (ULACNet) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 9th Annual Symposium on Global Cancer Research; Global Cancer Research and Control: Looking Back and Charting a Path Forward; 2021 Mar 10-11. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2021;30(7 Suppl):Abstract nr 20.