I am delighted to extend my personal greetings in this inaugural issue of the SAGITTARIUS newsletter! Just over a year since our kick-off meeting, the SAGITTARIUS project has made significant strides toward advancing personalized medicine in colon cancer care across Europe.
Clinical Trial Milestones
We are proud to announce the enrollment of the first patients in Italy and Spain for the SAGITTARIUS clinical trial. This is a key step toward building data on how personalized treatments, based on liquid biopsy and tumor characteristics, can impact patients' lives. By December 2024, nine clinical sites in Italy and two in Spain are actively recruiting, with more centers set to open soon, expanding access to over 900 patients across Italy, Spain and Germany.
The SAGITTARIUS clinical network
Italy
- Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda (Milan)
- Istituto Clinico Humanitas (Rozzano)
- Istituto Europeo di Oncologia (Milan)
- Fondazione Poliambulanza (Brescia)
- Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale della Romagna (Ravenna)
- Ospedale Maggiore di Novara (Novara)
- Istituto di Candiolo (Candiolo)
- Policlinico Universitario Gemelli (Rome)
- Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria San Martino (Genoa)
- Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria di Parma (Parma)
- Ospedale Santa Maria della Misericordia (Perugia)
- Azienda Sanitaria Locale di Biella (Biella)
Spain
- Hospital del Mar (Barcelona)
- Hospital Vall d’Hebrón (Barcelona)
- Hospital Sant Pau Barcelona (Barcelona)
- Instituto Catalán de Oncologia (Barcelona)
- Hospital 12 de Octubre (Madrid)
- Hospital Clinico Universitario San Carlos (Madrid)
- INCLIVA Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria (València)
- Hospital General Universitario de València (València)
- Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla (Santander, Cantabria)
- Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía (Córdoba)
- Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago (Santiago de Compostela)
- Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet (Zaragoza)
- Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra (Navarra)
Germany
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Berlin)
Information for Patients in Spain, Italy and Germany
If you have been diagnosed with operable colon cancer but have not yet undergone surgery, we encourage you to consider participating in the SAGITTARIUS trial. To understand eligibility, please consult your oncologist or general practitioner. We also recommend contacting one of the active clinical centers in your region for more information (see map). Please note that patients with rectal cancer or those who have already undergone surgery are not eligible for the trial.
Collaborative Achievements
The SAGITTARIUS project brings together a dynamic team of experts from various fields, including oncologists, molecular biologists, bioinformaticians, healthcare scientists, communication experts, and patient advocates. Behind the scenes, our administrative and support staff ensure smooth logistics and compliance, helping keep the project on track. SAGITTARIUS is also part of the Horizon Europe “Diagnosis and Treatment Cluster,” collaborating with other initiatives to strengthen Europe’s clinical cancer research community.
Looking Ahead
By early 2025, we anticipate the full activation of all planned clinical centers, which will expand the reach of the trial and enhance data collection. To increase awareness, we are organizing webinars for clinicians to expand knowledge of SAGITTARIUS. Additionally, regular meetings with research personnel will help share insights and refine our approach based on early data.
As we continue on this journey, I am deeply grateful to all those who are contributing to the success of SAGITTARIUS. Together, we are poised to make a lasting impact on cancer care in Europe and beyond.