Leading US Phase I Trial Group Opens Center in Shanghai—South Texas Accelerated Research Therapeutics, START

START’s long-range plan is to locate its Phase I centers in strategic locations around the world. Dr. Anthony Tolcher, clinical director for START said, “Our goal is to have research ongoing around the clock.” “Shanghai,” he said, “became part of the plan because of the many U.S. trained physicians in China who want the opportunity to participate in cancer research and clinical studies.” Dr. Tolcher added, “Shanghai also has a highly educated work force with excellent communications and infrastructure.” START Shanghai will be located at Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai’s largest cancer hospital where Dr. Li Jin serves as Fudan’s director of the Department of Medical Oncology.

Dr. Tolcher added, “China has actually undertaken enormous building of new hospitals throughout the country. You can go into many medical centers there and find very modern facilities that aren't lacking for anything. China is quickly emerging as a center of excellence for health care, and we wanted to be a part of that. Tolcher said, “Hospitals in China are owned by the government and the government of China is one of START Shanghai's bigger investors, underwriting some of the Chinese venture capital. According to Dr. Tolcher, “Cenova Venture Capital is investing $6 million dollars in the Shanghai operation and START is providing cash and intellectual capital. Cenova is a newly formed health care investment fund backed by the central and local Chinese governments. START expects to be initiating trials for US pharmaceutical companies, and some domestic Chinese biotechnology companies that have expressed interest,” Dr. Tolcher said. “Some trials,” according to Dr. Tolcher, “will be conducted exclusively in China while others will be take place in parallel in the United States and China.” He went on to say that “trials in China will have distinct protocols with pharmacokinetic studies designed for an Asian population.” Dr. Tolcher stressed that China is not a “medical backwater,” but rather a country making enormous leaps forward. “For them to develop a robust biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry, they are going to need world-class Phase I facilities,” he said.

Carol Zhu, MBA, will serve as CEO of START Shanghai, and Junning Cao, MD, is the new Clinical Director. Dr. Cao had been learning the ropes at START in San Antonio for several months, while Ms. Zhu had come to Texas just for the announcement. Ms. Zhu said she serendipitously found her new position through a reception given by the US Chinese Anti-Cancer Association (USCACA) for visiting American business and medical leaders, where she was seated between a Cenova executive and Gina Mangold, START's COO in San Antonio. Ms. Zhu was serving as Director of Clinical Development for GSK China when Dr. Tolcher and Ms. Mangold followed up on that first meeting and persuaded her to take on the START China venture. Dr. Cao noted that the Fudan center has conducted Phase III and late Phase II clinical trials for years, but only Phase I pharmacokinetic studies. As yet, she said, she did not know which anticancer agent will be tested in START Shanghai's first Phase I trial.Dr. Cao said her first step will be interviewing and hiring pharmacists, statisticians, and nurses. She will work in the Fudan clinic while Ms. Zhu is opening a business office in the Xuhui district in downtown Shanghai.