The Max Foundation Announces CancerPath to Care to Treat Up to 36,000 People Living with Leukemia, Breast and Certain Rare Cancers in Over 70 Low- and Middle-income Countries by 2025

SEATTLE – May 16, 2022 – The Max Foundation (Max), a global nonprofit organization that aims to accelerate health equity by delivering medication, technology, and supportive services to patients globally, has launched CancerPath to Care, an expansion of its 20-year access collaboration with Novartis, previously known as CMLPath to Care. The collaboration aims to provide access to care to 36,000 people living with breast and rare cancers, like chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), in over 70 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) by 2025.  

“We are thrilled to be addressing the leading cause of cancer diagnosis and death among women globally and provide our physician partners with tools and support to improve outcomes,” said Pat Garcia-Gonzalez, CEO of The Max Foundation. “Novartis has once again demonstrated true leadership by stepping forward to join us in our mission to ensure that geography does not dictate one’s destiny.  Through this unique collaboration, we have proven it is possible to erase the gap in patient outcomes in low- and middle-income countries, and we believe we can now do that for breast cancer.”

Since 2002, The Max Foundation and Novartis have helped more than 90,000 patients in LMICs access treatment for CML and other rare cancers. A retrospective analysis of patients treated for CML in LMICs through the collaboration demonstrated concordant outcomes to high-income settings.¹ With CancerPath to Care, eligible patients will now have access to Novartis treatments for breast cancer, Kisqali® (ribociclib) and Femara® (letrozole), as well as its novel therapy for CML, Scemblix® (asciminib).

“At Novartis, we are committed to helping ensure that our medicines are accessible to as many patients as possible, irrespective of where they live,” said Marie-France Tschudin, President of Innovative Medicines International & Chief Commercial Officer, Novartis. “We know this requires us to work more systematically and in partnership with patients, advocacy groups, healthcare professionals and other stakeholders. CancerPath to Care is a tangible example of how we put this commitment into action – providing access to innovative therapies, while enhancing medical capabilities, treatment distribution channels and patient support programming in these countries.”

Preparations are underway for launching the new initiative, including expansion of in-country teams and physician network and health system-strengthening programs. Max will initially provide access to breast cancer treatments to patients in 10 countries next year, expanding to 28 countries by 2025. With the addition of breast cancer, The Max Foundation will provide access to cancer treatments for 12 different diseases in over 70 countries. 

In addition to Novartis, four other multinational drug manufacturers partner with the Foundation to provide medicines to patients living in lower-income settings as part of the organization’s Humanitarian PACT (Partnership for Access to Cancer Treatment). Partners gain collaborative knowledge and access to the Foundation’s global network of partner institutions and physicians, local patient associations, and distribution partners in 70+ countries.

¹ Umeh C, Garcia-Gonzalez P, Tremblay D, Lang R. The Survival of patients enrolled in a global direct-to-patient cancer medicine program: The Glivec International Patient Assistance Program (GIPAP), Lancet 2020

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