Cristian Massacesi: Working for a future where cancer is eliminated as a cause of death

Cristian Massacesi, Chief Medical Officer at AstraZeneca, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“As 2024 draws to a close, I’m filled with immense gratitude for the remarkable progress we continue to make in oncology. Our teams at AstraZeneca have worked tirelessly to bring us closer to our bold ambition: a future where cancer is eliminated as a cause of death. Throughout the year, we have made meaningful strides through:

Clinical Trial Innovation: Remaining focused on innovative trial design and delivery to make clinical trials accessible to everyone, regardless of where they are in the world.

Expanded Patient Access: Over 8,000 patients enrolled in AstraZeneca oncology early phase and late-stage clinical trials across more than 25 countries and multiple tumour types and blood cancers.

Increased Diversity: Expanding diversity in our clinical trials, providing more opportunities for patients living with cancer to access potential breakthrough treatments and giving us a better understanding of the potential benefit of investigational medicines across global populations.

Scientific Innovation: Progressing in fields including antibody-drug conjugate research, next-wave immunotherapies and AI-driven advancements – making the connection between science and real-world impacts.

Strong data and Clinical Trial Performance: Delivering 11 positive pivotal late-stage studies and securing several presidential and plenary sessions at key scientific congresses – exemplifying the potential impact of our innovative science to change outcomes for patients.

I was also fortunate to visit many of our R&D sites this year – seeing our expert teams in action and thanking them personally for their drive and dedication to delivering clinical trials around the world. It is through their passion, commitment, expertise and efforts that we are able to develop treatment options that have the potential to transform the lives of countless patients.

These teams are the powerhouse behind our pursuit of new therapies, combinations that attack cancer from multiple angles, regimens to treat cancer earlier and increasingly more personalized treatments. Their successes in 2024 inspire me and make me incredibly optimistic about what we can accomplish in 2025 and beyond.

As you make your own year-end reflections, I want to wish you all a wonderful, restful holiday break and encourage you to take time to wind down and focus on things close to your heart. For me, that means spending quality time with my family and friends and reminding myself of the importance of the work we all do. I look forward to reconnecting with everyone again in the New Year!”

Dr. Cristian Massacesi, is a medical oncologist with over 20 years of experience in drug development. Currently he serves as the Chief Medical Officer at  AstraZeneca. At AstraZeneca, he holds the position of Oncology Chief Development Officer, leading the company’s late-stage Oncology portfolio comprising 13 innovative medicines and immunotherapies. In this role, he directs approximately 150 clinical studies across various indications, concentrating on AstraZeneca’s core disease areas such as breast, lung, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and gynecological cancers. Before joining AstraZeneca, Dr. Massacesi held senior positions within the pharmaceutical industry at Pfizer and Novartis. With extensive experience in patient care and clinical research, he has contributed to over 50 extended peer-reviewed publications. Throughout his career, Dr. Massacesi has received numerous honors and awards for his outstanding achievements.