Antidote and Melanoma Research Alliance join forces to enhance clinical trial search for people impacted by melanoma

The collaboration introduces an improved patient and caregiver experience to facilitate more accurate matches to appropriate clinical trials for individuals affected by melanoma.

Miami, FL and Washington, DC (March 5, 2024) — Antidote Technologies (“Antidote”), a patient-centric digital engagement company specializing in connecting patients with clinical research, today unveiled a significant milestone in its continuous collaboration with the Melanoma Research Alliance (“MRA”), the world’s largest private nonprofit funder of melanoma research.

Clinical Trial Navigator, MRA’s clinical trial finder powered by Antidote Match™, was originally launched in 2017. Since the inception of this pivotal partnership, both organizations have remained dedicated to enhancing the product to better serve patients actively seeking to find and connect with clinical trials.

Through ongoing collaboration, Antidote and MRA have implemented significant improvements to the Clinical Trial Navigator, ensuring that it remains a valuable resource for the melanoma community. The platform enhancements announced today encompass a user flow tailored to individual responses, expanded capabilities addressing questions about rare melanoma subtypes, inquiries about previous and forthcoming treatments and therapies, and nuanced input options for individuals in earlier disease stages. The standardized question flow, jointly developed with MRA, will generate more patient-reported data, facilitating more precise matching for existing and newly added clinical trials on ClinicalTrials.gov.

These advancements underscore Antidote and MRA’s unwavering commitment to improving the clinical trial search experience for patients and caregivers impacted by melanoma. By prioritizing user-centric design and functionality, the Clinical Trial Navigator aims to make the process of finding relevant clinical trials more efficient and tailors the experience to the specific needs of patients.

In the United States, melanoma is one of the most common types of cancer, and it is estimated that more than 1.4 million people live with the condition. Despite the rates of other types of cancer decreasing, melanoma’s prevalence has tripled in the past three decades, and an estimated 100,000 people will be diagnosed with invasive melanoma this year. 

“We have seen incredible progress over the last decade with 17 new drugs receiving FDA approval in melanoma, changing what it means to be diagnosed with and treated for this disease. None of that progress is possible, however, without the patients who enroll in clinical trials,” said Dr. Marc Hurlbert, Chief Executive Officer for MRA. “As always, there is still more research to be done for those who do not benefit from the latest advances. We are thrilled to announce these improvements to Antidote Match™ and remain committed to being a guiding source of information for patients and caregivers seeking cutting edge clinical trials.”

At the time of writing, nearly 600 melanoma clinical trials are actively seeking participants, with an estimated need for more than 1.49 million patients to enroll in these studies. Through the collaboration of the clinical and product teams at Antidote and MRA, Clinical Trial Navigator, powered by Antidote, has a greater potential to increase clinical trial participation with study findings that better match their patient population. Patients and caregivers can now visit curemelanoma.org/clinicaltrials to answer curated questions and be matched to trials for which they or the loved one they care for may be eligible.

Grace McElroy, Vice President of Patient Experience & Partnerships at Antidote, emphasized Antidote’s commitment to enhancing the patient experience through collaborative efforts with partners. “We extend our gratitude to MRA and all our partners for their ongoing contributions to making Antidote Match™ the best-in-class clinical trial search in the industry. Their insights help us better understand the needs and motivations of patients and caregivers seeking new treatment options and potential cures,” she said. “Our partners’ expertise enriches our daily work, and collaborating with such esteemed organizations is truly an honor.”

About Antidote Technologies
Antidote Technologies is a digital health company with a mission to catalyze medical innovation by successfully connecting patients and researchers as the best-in-class recruiter for clinical studies. Our precision recruitment strategy for clinical trials meets patients where they are, leading to high-quality referrals, reduced site burden, and efficient enrollment. This is made possible by a unique, high-tech, high-touch approach and the largest global partnership network of its kind. We provide patient-centric clinical search technology to hundreds of patient advocacy groups and research foundations at no cost in order to advance medical breakthroughs and increase clinical trial participation. We also configure our search platform for sponsors, health systems, and other providers to ensure an optimal experience for patients looking to participate in their portfolio of clinical trials. 

Antidote, formerly known as TrialReach, is based in the US and the UK. For more information, please visit http://www.antidote.me. 

About MRA
The Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA) stands as the largest non-profit funder of melanoma research. Founded in 2007 by Debra and Leon Black, MRA's mission is to end suffering and death due to melanoma by advancing the world's most promising science and research. MRA provides critical funding for melanoma cancer research that propels advances in prevention, diagnosis, treatment, metastasis, and survivorship. MRA-funded researchers have been behind every major melanoma research breakthrough. Since MRA's inception, 17 new therapeutic approaches for melanoma have earned FDA approval. MRA is recognized as one of the most fiscally efficient non-profits in the country. Because MRA's Founders generously cover 100% of MRA's administrative and operating costs, every dollar donated is invested directly into MRA's scientific and research program. For more information, please visit: www.CureMelanoma.org.

Media Contacts

Amanda McDowell
Senior Manager, Content and Communications | Antidote
amanda.mcdowell@antidote.me

KWT Global 
mra@kwtglobal.com

Stephanie Kauffman, MRA President & Chief Operating Officer skauffman@curemelanoma.org