Protocol First Announces Strategic Investment from The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) to Advance Clinical Trial Execution

SALT LAKE CITY, May 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Protocol First, Inc., a software solutions provider focused on accelerating clinical research, announced today the closing of a funding commitment from The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Inc. (LLS) to enable continued investment, innovation, and corporate growth.  Protocol First's technology solutions are being utilized in the LLS Beat AML Master Clinical Trial (Beat AML), a groundbreaking, collaborative, clinical trial across multiple academic centers, simultaneously testing several novel targeted therapies for older patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Protocol First's eProtocol, Source Upload, and Electronic Data Capture system (within one eClinical platform, "P1"), as well as its Electronic Health Records (EHR)-to-Electronic Data Capture (EDC) application, Clinical Pipe, are cloud-based and allow most of the clinical trial activities for the Beat AML trial to be performed online.  These technology solutions have been deployed for nearly four years on Beat AML and are a timely answer to current shelter-in-place orders that make it impossible for pharmaceutical sponsors to verify multi-center clinical trial data "on-site".  In addition to enabling remote access with its Source Upload solution, the company's Clinical Pipe application has been demonstrated to decrease errors and reduce the time site staff spend performing manual data entry, leading to higher value-added tasks being prioritized.

"We have been working with the Protocol First team since we launched our Beat AML Master Clinical Trial program in 2016," said Amy Burd, Ph.D., LLS vice president of research strategy and the organization's lead for the Beat AML initiative.  "The company's platform has contributed enormously to the success of this complex trial by helping us efficiently transfer information in real-time between the research centers and our electronic data capture systems.  Since 2016, the trial has been able to transfer data directly from patients' health records into the data capture systems using Protocol First's Clinical Pipe application, thereby saving precious time for our research and operations staff.  This funding will benefit both LLS and Protocol First as well as the broader industry-sponsored research community that is desperately looking for ways to re-start trials impeded by the COVID-19 crisis."

Hugh Levaux, PhD, Founder and CEO of Protocol First, Inc. stated, "With the impact of COVID-19 on collecting critical trial data, our business is accelerating substantially.  LLS funding has come at the right time to provide us the financial capacity needed to rise to greater heights.  We have been proud to partner with the Beat AML team and greatly appreciate the continued confidence LLS has in us with this funding."

LLS, the largest funder of cutting-edge research that advances cures for blood cancers, is leading the Beat AML Master Trial.  AML is one of the deadliest blood cancers and the most commonly diagnosed form of leukemia in adults.  The trial uses advanced genomic technology to identify each patient's cancer-driving genetic mutations and then matches patients to the most promising, targeted treatment.  Multiple pharmaceutical companies, prominent scientists at top cancer centers, several technology companies and the FDA have joined LLS in a shared commitment to bring the promise of precision medicine to AML patients. 

About Protocol First

Protocol First, Inc., founded in 2015 and headquartered in Salt Lake City, UT, develops next-generation technology solutions for complex clinical trials in the Life Sciences industry.  In addition to its flagship Protocol First suite of cloud-based solutions (eProtocol, Source Upload and EDC), Protocol First has launched Clinical Pipe, the industry's first connector app that offers system-agnostic EHR-to-EDC interoperability.  The application supports major EHR and EDC systems including Epic, Cerner, Allscripts and Athena, as well as Medidata Rave, Oracle InForm, and its own P1 platform. 

For additional information visit protocolfirst.com and clinicalpipe.com. 

About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society^® (LLS) is a global leader in the fight against cancer.  The LLS mission: cure leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.  LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world, provides free information and support services, and is the voice for all blood cancer patients seeking access to quality, affordable, coordinated care.

Founded in 1949 and headquartered in Rye Brook, NY, LLS has chapters throughout the United States and Canada.  To learn more, visit www.LLS.org.  Patients should contact the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., ET.

For additional information visit lls.org/lls-newsnetwork.  Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

SOURCE Protocol First

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