A new partnership will bring early phase clinical trials closer to home for cancer patients in California, Texas, and New Jersey – helping to increase access to innovative therapies outside of academic settings.

The START Center for Cancer Research (START) and OneOncology have announced a collaboration to expand access to early phase clinical trials across major U.S. communities. The rollout will establish three new START research sites at OneOncology partner practices: the Los Angeles Cancer Network (California), The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders (Texas), and Astera Cancer Care (New Jersey).

This initiative builds on the success of START’s existing trial site in Michigan and aims to improve patient access to cutting-edge cancer research, especially in local settings where most patients receive treatment but typically have fewer trial opportunities.

“The existing early-phase cancer research infrastructure – heavily reliant on academic medical centers – is no longer sustainable in the face of mounting pressure for faster trial activation, broader scalability, and more diverse patient representation,” said Nick Slack, Chairman and CEO of START. “By partnering with community practices like LACN, CCBD, and Astera, we are bringing research closer to patients and accelerating drug development.”

START is one of the world’s largest early-phase oncology research networks, with 10 global sites and more than 700 trials led by 31 principal investigators. Its work has contributed to over 45 FDA or EMA approvals of new cancer therapies.

The new partnership with OneOncology – a physician-led national platform supporting community-based oncology care – supports the shared goal of enhancing research access in local clinics. OneOncology’s network includes more than 1,750 providers caring for around one million patients annually.

“Working with START allows our partner practices to extend their capabilities into groundbreaking early phase research, providing access to new therapies traditionally reserved for academic centers,” said Dr. Jeff Patton, CEO of OneOncology. “Together, we’re transforming the patient experience, bringing innovation closer to home.”

Leaders from the newly added sites echoed this sentiment.

“Our partnership with START will redefine possibilities for patients in Southern California,” said Troy Simon, CEO of Los Angeles Cancer Network. Barry Russo, CEO of CCBD in Texas, added: “This collaboration significantly enhances our ability to deliver advanced clinical trials.”

While Edward Licitra, CEO of Astera Cancer Care, said: “This partnership bridges the innovation gap traditionally seen between community and academic oncology settings.”

The new START sites will be activated beginning in July 2025, with integration into START’s research infrastructure continuing into early 2026. The partners say this setup will ensure consistent trial execution, data quality, and faster activation timelines.