Patients across South Florida are set to gain greater access to early-phase cancer clinical trials through a new collaboration between Baptist Health South Florida and The START Center for Cancer Research.

The partnership will establish a new START clinical trial site in collaboration with Baptist Health Herbert Wertheim Cancer Institute, expanding access to investigational oncology therapies for patients throughout the region.

Early-phase cancer studies play a critical role in evaluating new treatments before they advance into larger clinical trials. However, access to these studies is often limited, particularly outside major research centres, requiring many patients to travel significant distances to participate.

The organisations said the new site aims to address that challenge by bringing access to early-stage oncology research closer to patients receiving care within Baptist Health’s network and the wider South Florida community.

Florida records more than 130,000 new cancer diagnoses annually, creating significant demand for access to innovative treatment options and clinical research programmes. The partners believe expanding local trial availability could help more patients participate in studies investigating emerging cancer therapies.

The collaboration combines START’s experience in conducting early-phase oncology trials with Baptist Health’s cancer care network, which includes Herbert Wertheim Cancer Institute and Lynn Cancer Institute.

Nick Slack, chairman and chief executive officer of START, said: “South Florida is home to millions of people who deserve access to the best cancer research in the world. Most cancer patients are treated in community settings and START exists to make sure those patients have access to early-phase clinical trial options.”

Slack said the partnership supports the organisation’s goal of expanding access to novel cancer therapies through community-based research programmes.

The move reflects a broader trend across oncology research to increase patient access to clinical trials outside traditional academic medical centres. Improving local availability of studies is increasingly viewed as a way to enhance recruitment, improve diversity in trial populations and reduce barriers to participation.

Baptist Health operates 12 hospitals and more than 200 outpatient facilities across Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Martin counties, providing a substantial referral network for patients who may be eligible for clinical research programmes.

Leonard Kalman, acting system chief executive of Baptist Health Cancer Care and acting executive medical director of Baptist Health Herbert Wertheim Cancer Institute, said: “Partnering with START gives patients and physicians access to first-in-class oncology trials that would otherwise require traveling hundreds of miles. For a community as large and diverse as ours, that matters enormously.”

The new site will be integrated into START’s global clinical trial network, which spans 15 locations across the USA and Europe. According to the organisation, the network supports nearly 1,000 active oncology studies sponsored by industry partners.

By expanding access to early-phase trials in South Florida, the collaboration aims to provide more patients with opportunities to participate in research evaluating the next generation of cancer therapies while remaining closer to home.