Arturo LoAIza-Bonilla: An Open Letter to Cancer Centers, Research Institutions, and the Broader Oncology Community

Arturo LoAIza-Bonilla, Systemwide Chief of Hematology and Oncology at St. Luke’s University Health Network, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“Dear Colleagues,

In light of the recent developments regarding the The National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) abrupt reduction of indirect cost rates—from historical levels approaching 50–60% down to 15% – our entire research ecosystem faces challenges unseen in recent memory. This funding shift, while intended to tighten budgets and increase efficiency, will undoubtedly affect clinical trials, accelerate staff reductions, and risk delaying life-saving breakthroughs. We at Massive Bio recognize the gravity of these concerns. Today, we wish to affirm our commitment to supporting the cancer community – patients, investigators, research centers, federal partners, and sponsors – through collaborative, technology-driven solutions that strengthen our collective capacity to advance cancer research.

Our Mission and Background

Massive Bio was founded on the principle that every patient deserves timely, real-time access to clinical trials. From the beginning, our vision was catalyzed by an SBIR NIH/NCI grant, ‘Cancer Clinical Trials Recruitment and Retention Tools for Participant Engagement,’ which enabled us to build and refine a patient-centric, digitally enabled Deep Learning Clinical Trial Matching System (DLCTMS, aka SYNERGY-AI). This system delivers near-real-time trial matching, breaking down traditional enrollment barriers. By deploying data-driven technology, we have helped connect thousands of patients to trials that may offer them renewed hope, while simultaneously empowering investigators to complete studies on time and within budget.

With indirect cost rates now capped at 15%, many research institutions – particularly National Cancer Institute (NCI) designated cancer centers – are bracing for reduced support staff, deferred facility maintenance, and tighter budgets for critical programs that facilitate trial accrual. These cutbacks threaten to delay study activation, halt recruitment, and slow the approvals of new FDA therapies. Equally concerning is the impact on underserved communities, whose access to groundbreaking trials may be curtailed by centers forced to scale back due to financial strain.

Our Commitment to Collaboration and Solutions

We believe the path forward lies in unified, innovative partnerships. Although the current funding landscape is uncertain, Massive Bio stands ready to collaborate with NCI-designated centers, community research sites, government agencies, and the broader oncology community by:

1. Leveraging Scalable Technology: Our SYNERGY-AI platform fast-tracks patient pre-screening and enrollment, reducing administrative burdens and improving operational efficiencies for institutions already stretched thin. By automating trial-matching and streamlining workflows, we enable research centers to do more with fewer resources.
2. Expanding Clinical Trial Access: Massive Bio’s core objective is to ensure that no patient is left behind due to geography, socioeconomic status, or lack of awareness. Our platform extends reach into communities, bridging gaps in clinical trial availability and connecting patients to potentially life-saving options.
3. Supporting Financial Sustainability: We recognize that revenue generation is essential to keep research programs viable. By enhancing enrollment rates, we help secure clinical trials funding while reducing costly delays. Stable and predictable accrual fosters more robust partnerships with sponsors – across pharma, biotech, and government agencies – strengthening the financial backbone of cancer centers.
4. Driving Collaborative Models at Scale: Our recent PCC ASCO abstract underscores that multi-stakeholder collaboration (including pharma sponsors, government entities, technology vendors, and patient advocates) can be both practical and mutually beneficial. By aligning incentives and sharing data responsibly, we accelerate discovery without overburdening any single participant.

Working Hand in Hand with Government Agencies

Our beginnings were made possible through an NCI SBIR grant, and we remain dedicated to fostering public-private partnerships. Amid tightening budgets, we believe new, digitally enabled efficiencies must be part of the solution. Whether implementing electronic pre-screening hubs or refining remote consent processes, government collaboration is pivotal to ensure our national research priorities remain intact.

A Call to Action

In these uncertain times, we urge all research institutions – particularly those facing the harshest budget contractions – to consider how novel digital platforms can maintain momentum for current trials and lay the foundation for future breakthroughs. By partnering with Massive Bio, institutions can:

• Increase trial awareness and enrollment, safeguarding your research programs against resource shortfalls.
• Offer innovative, patient-centric care that meets modern standards of accessibility and equity.
• Achieve cost savings through optimized trial management and more efficient workflows.

Above all, our patients – especially those with few other therapeutic options – are counting on us to adapt, collaborate, and innovate. Despite financial headwinds, we must remain steadfast in our shared mission to reduce the global burden of cancer.

At Massive Bio, we believe that hope and innovation thrive best in environments where collaboration transcends economic barriers. Now more than ever, it is critical to forge partnerships and harness technology to keep cancer research moving forward.

We stand ready to work alongside you—cancer centers, investigators, federal agencies, sponsors, and community clinics—to ensure that clinical trials remain a beacon of possibility. Together, we will turn these funding challenges into opportunities for evolution, improving outcomes for patients everywhere and continuing to advance the frontiers of science in the United States and the world.

If you wish to learn more about our platforms, explore partnerships, or discuss how we can support your center’s clinical trial programs, please reach out to us directly. We welcome your ideas and look forward to forging a path of resilience and innovation with you.”