MDICT Task Force

Background
The Task Force on Methodology for the Development of Innovative Cancer Therapies (MDICT) is an international task force sponsored by the NDDO Education Foundation, chaired by Hilary Calvert, Northern Institute for Cancer Research, Newcastle, UK, and Giuseppe Giaccone, U.S. National Cancer Institute, Medical Oncology Branch. Its members are leading phase 1 and 2 investigators and its mission is to develop practical guidance on the optimal development of innovative anticancer agents, in particular targeted agents.

Methodological guidance developed by MDICT should improve the efficiency of the future development of oncology drugs, in particular in the early clinical phase. Output generated by MDICT should be applicable to groups of drugs belonging to a certain class (e.g., targeted agents with a similar mode of action). Organizational aspects of early-phase clinical development of anticancer agents may be addressed to secure a smooth flow of the most interesting agents through the clinical development pipeline worldwide. Output generated by MDICT is made publicly available through publication in peer-reviewed journals. Meetings take place in conjunction with annual TAT meetings.

Meetings, membership and invitees
The MDICT Task Force meets annually in conjunction with the annual TAT meeting. The next meeting has tentatively been scheduled for March 3, 2010, the day before the opening op TAT 2010, and will be held at the TAT 2010 venue. Participation in task force meetings is by personal invitation only. Observers from industry and regulatory agencies may be invited to MDICT meetings to give feedback on guidance developed by MDICT. If you are interested in joining the MDICT Task Force and participate in its next meeting, either as an academic clinical investigator or an industry observer, please contact the TAT 2010 Secretariat (tat@mccm.nl) with your brief biography, current drug development responsibilities and contact details.

MDICT output
Thus far, four MDICT meetings have taken place, in conjunction with TAT 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 addressing issues in phase I and phase II studies of oncology drugs, the potential roles of phase 0 studies in anticancer drug development, and combinations of targeted agents, respectively.
Reports of the MDICT meetings held in 2006, 2007 and 2008 have been published in the European Journal of Cancer (1-3). A paper on the outcomes of the 2009 meeting is under preparation.

1. Booth CM, Calvert AH, Giaccone G, Lobbezoo MW, Seymour LK, Eisenhauer EA. Endpoints and other considerations in phase I studies of targeted anticancer therapy: Recommendations from the task force on Methodology for the Development of Innovative Cancer Therapies (MDICT). Eur J Cancer 2008;44:19-24.

2. Booth CM, Calvert AH, Giaccone G, Lobbezoo MW, Eisenhauer EA, Seymour LK. Design and conduct of phase II studies of targeted anticancer therapy: Recommendations from the task force on Methodology for the Development of Innovative Cancer Therapies (MDICT). Eur J Cancer 2008;44:25-29.

3. Kummar S, Doroshow JH, Tomaszewski JE, Calvert AH, Lobbezoo M, Giaccone G. Phase 0 clinical trials: recommendations from the Task Force on Methodology for the Development of Innovative Cancer Therapies. Eur J Cancer 2009;45:741-746.