H.R. 2767: Bolstering Research And Innovation Now Act

The Bolstering Research And Innovation Now Act, or BRAIN Act, aims to advance research and improve treatment options for brain tumors and enhance healthcare access for affected individuals. Here are the key components of the bill:

Findings and Purposes

The bill acknowledges significant issues related to brain tumors:

• Over 1,000,000 people in the United States are living with a brain tumor, with approximately 94,000 diagnosed annually.
• Brain tumors can affect anyone, with pediatric brain tumors being a leading cause of cancer-related death in children and young adults.
• The development of effective treatments has been minimal over the past 45 years, with stagnant survival rates for malignant tumors.
• There are few FDA-approved treatments for brain tumors, and currently, there is no prevention or early detection protocol established.

The main goals of the bill are to:

• Boost research and development for brain tumor treatments.
• Improve access to specialized healthcare for patients with brain tumors and other hard-to-treat cancers.

Transparency in Biospecimen Collections

The bill mandates establishing a searchable online repository for biospecimens related to brain cancer research funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This will:

• Provide information on the existence and location of biospecimen collections.
• Report requirements for existing and new biospecimen collections.
• Implement oversight to ensure compliance with these reporting requirements.

Glioblastoma Therapeutics Network

A Glioblastoma Therapeutics Network will be established to enhance the treatment of glioblastoma through:

• Collaboration among institutions to evaluate therapeutic agents.
• A dedicated funding of $50 million per year from 2026 to 2030 to support this initiative.

Clinical Trials and Public Awareness Campaign

The bill includes a national public awareness campaign focusing on:

• Educating healthcare providers and the public about the importance of clinical trials and biomarker testing.
• Providing materials and public service announcements to raise awareness.
• Targeting specific communities and populations at higher risk for cancer.

Additionally, grants will be awarded for demonstration projects that evaluate outreach and educational strategies for cancer clinical trials and biomarker testing.

Pilot Programs for Brain Tumor Survivors

Pilot programs will be established to evaluate approaches for monitoring and caring for brain tumor survivors throughout their lifespan. These programs will focus on:

• Assessing transitional care after treatment.
• Providing a continuum of care that includes multidisciplinary approaches.

Funding of $5 million per year will be allocated for this purpose through 2030.

FDA Guidance for Patient Access to Clinical Trials

The bill requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance to ensure that brain tumor patients and those with rare cancers have better access to clinical trials evaluating new treatments. This guidance is expected within one year of the bill's enactment.

Relevant Companies

• ABBV - AbbVie Inc.: Focused on immunotherapy research, potentially benefiting from increased collaboration and funding for brain tumor therapies.
• NVDA - NVIDIA Corporation: Involved in AI-driven healthcare solutions, which may be utilized in developing tools for patient monitoring and treatment information transfer.
• MDLZ - Mondelez International, Inc.: Though primarily a consumer goods company, its potential interest in health and nutrition can intersect with initiatives for supportive care of cancer patients.