Susan G. Komen Invests $375,000 in Metastatic Breast Cancer Research Project

Funds Will Focus on Advancing Understanding of Metastatic Disease
in Young Women as Part of Direct-to-Patient Research Study

DALLAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Susan G. Komen today announced a $375,000 commitment toward the
innovative work of the Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC) Project, which
empowers patients to accelerate research and advance our understanding
of metastatic breast cancer. Funds from Komen will be used to analyze
samples from young women with metastatic breast cancer who have joined
the MBC Project – helping to identify molecular and genetic features
unique to younger patients with breast cancer.

Led by Dr. Nikhil Wagle and colleagues at the Broad Institute of MIT and
Harvard, and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the MBC Project directly
engages patients with metastatic breast cancer using social media and
partnerships with advocacy organizations and empowers them to share
their medical records and saliva and tumor samples to help expedite
important discoveries. Since the project’s launch in October of 2015,
more than 2500 women and men with MBC, including from all 50 states and
Canada, have enrolled in the study.

“We are excited to support Dr. Wagle’s work on this innovative project.
This study will not only help improve our understanding of the
disparities that exist for younger breast cancer patients, but also
inform the development of new treatment strategies for metastatic breast
cancer in this population,” said Komen President and CEO Dr. Judy
Salerno.

“This is an outstanding example of the important research being
conducted by early-career investigators, and the power of investing in
the next generation of breast cancer researchers,” Dr. Salerno added.

In addition to supporting the MBC Project, Komen funding has helped
catalyze Dr. Wagle’s promising career in breast cancer research. Last
fall, Komen awarded $450,000 to Dr. Wagle to utilize molecular and
genomic studies to improve understanding of estrogen receptor-positive
breast cancer that has become resistant to treatment.

“We are incredibly grateful to have received this support from Susan G.
Komen,” Dr. Wagle said. “This grant will help us study the young women
and men who have joined the Metastatic Breast Cancer Project, a group of
patients who often present with more advanced and aggressive tumors. We
are proud to have joined with these and many other metastatic breast
cancer patients, advocates, and advocacy organizations to launch this
patient-driven research project – and look forward to making strides in
improving treatments for patients with metastatic breast cancer in
partnership with the patient community.”

A collaborative effort across the breast cancer community, organizers at
the Broad Institute and Dana Farber turned to advocacy organizations and
patients to help design the MBC Project itself, working closely with a
number of partner organizations.

About Susan G. Komen®

Susan G. Komen is the world’s largest breast cancer organization,
funding more breast cancer research than any other nonprofit while
providing real-time help to those facing the disease. Since its founding
in 1982, Komen has funded more than $889 million in research and
provided $1.95 billion in funding to screening, education, treatment and
psychosocial support programs. Komen has worked in more than 60
countries worldwide. Komen was founded by Nancy G. Brinker, who promised
her sister, Susan G. Komen, that she would end the disease that claimed
Suzy’s life. Visit komen.org
or call 1-877 GO KOMEN. Connect with us on social at ww5.komen.org/social

About the Metastatic Breast Cancer Project

The Metastatic Breast Cancer Project (MBCproject.org)
is a research project launched by the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard
and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute that directly engages patients with
metastatic breast cancer and empowers them to accelerate research by
sharing their samples and clinical information. The goal is simple: to
create a patient-researcher partnership to speed discoveries and the
development of new treatments for metastatic breast cancer.

Patients with metastatic breast cancer can sign up for the project by
visiting MBCproject.org,
clicking “Count Me In” and entering their name and email address. Since
the project’s launch in October 2015, more than 2,500 women and men with
metastatic breast cancer have joined the study. The project was designed
and implemented with the input of dozens of metastatic breast cancer
patients, advocates, and advocacy organizations – and continues to
actively engage the metastatic breast cancer community at every step.
These organizations include the Metastatic Breast Cancer Network, the
Metastatic Breast Cancer Alliance, Avon Foundation, Living Beyond Breast
Cancer, Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Young Survival
Coalition, SHARE, Male Breast Cancer Coalition, Theresa’s Research
Foundation, Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation, The IBC Network
Foundation, Advocates 4 Breast Cancer, METAvivor, MET UP, Tigerlily
Foundation, Susan G. Komen, Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Dr. Susan
Love Research Foundation, Breast Cancer Social Media, and Hope Scarves.

To learn more about the MBC Project and hear from patient-participants,
please watch
our short video.

Contacts

Susan G. Komen
Joni Avery, 972-855-4382
press@komen.org