La Fe Health Research Institute receives over one million euros to boost clinical research and improve care for clinical trial patients

This funding will enhance UICAB (Clinical Research and Biological Activity Unit) infrastructure, integrate new technologies, and optimize care for patients in clinical trials, aiming to decentralize research and ensure fairer access to studies.

The project includes expansion and modernization of clinical research areas, separate from routine care, to guarantee patient comfort and privacy. Treatment rooms, consultation spaces, and laboratories will be upgraded, and a new clinical techniques room will be created, specifically for complex studies in the UICAB, which oversees phase I and II trials.

The grant also enables the adoption of advanced technology for proper management of biological samples and medications, and the integration of La Fe Hospital and IIS La Fe management systems. This will streamline trial coordination and patient monitoring.

Dr. Pilar Nos, Scientific Director of IIS La Fe, emphasized that the funding "recognizes our commitment to innovation and improvement in clinical research. Modernizing our infrastructure and incorporating new technologies will allow us to provide more personalized, high-quality care and reinforce our position as a leader in early-phase clinical trials."

The impact will be significant regionally and nationally. In the Valencian Community, over five million people may benefit, increasing access to innovative therapies and enhancing IIS La Fe's ability to attract research projects.

Patient enrollment in clinical trials is expected to grow by 10-15% annually, solidifying the institute as a reference in hematology, oncology, and emerging disease fields.

IIS La Fe will implement a governance plan to improve integration of care and research activities and establish a Quality Control Office to oversee processes and ensure compliance with high clinical research standards. Training will be a key pillar, with specialized programs consolidating UICAB as a benchmark in high-quality early-phase trials.

This grant, supported by the Regional Health Ministry's Directorate General for Research and Innovation, is part of the 2024 Clinical Research Units (UIC) call under the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan.

About UICAB

The Clinical Research and Biological Activity Unit (UICAB) at IIS La Fe is functionally integrated into Hospital Universitari i Politècnic La Fe. It currently runs 356 active clinical trials, mainly in lung cancer, leukemia, melanoma, and sarcoma.

UICAB's clinical trials are vital for developing new cancer treatments, offering patients access to innovative therapies when conventional options are lacking. With a precision medicine approach and collaboration with industry and academia, UICAB contributes to more effective treatments and improved oncological care.

With this funding, IIS La Fe reinforces its commitment to cutting-edge clinical research, enhances patient care, and advances scientific knowledge. It also moves toward accreditation in international quality standards such as ISO 9001, formal recognition as a phase I Clinical Trial Unit, and consolidation as a reference center in early-phase clinical research.