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CONNECT Summer Meeting 2025: Stronger Together for Smarter Cancer Trials

Over 70 participants gathered at the CONNECT Summer Meeting to align efforts around precision oncology in Norway.

A woman in a white blouse speaks at a podium with a microphone and laptop in front of a seated audience during a professional conference or seminar. A man stands to the side near a vertical banner displaying the logo and slogan of "CONNECT" with the text “Teaming up for Precision Cancer Medicine.” The event appears to focus on collaborative efforts in medical innovation and cancer research. The background includes a dark display with circular design elements and a leafy green plant positioned between the speaker and the banner.
CONNECT Summer Meeting 2025 - All pictures: Sverre Soderberg
Published

Jun 20, 2025

Author

Dave Tippett

Category
Precision medicine

Organized by CONNECT, the cross-sector partnership dedicated to precision cancer medicine, the meeting highlighted how collaboration is key to making innovative treatments available for patients across the country.

The program featured experts from Norway and abroad, sparking critical dialogue on how national coordination and strategic partnerships can drive real change.

From diagnostics to actionable insights

The first session spotlighted progress and opportunities in cancer diagnostics. Joris van der Haar from the Netherlands Cancer Institute, opened with insights from the Netherlands, showing how whole genome sequencing is transforming patient care. Diana Bordin, head of unit for precision medicine at Akerhus University Hospital, shared early learnings from homologous recombination deficiency testing, while Emma Rewcastle, unit manager at Stavanger university hospital, presented how Helse Vest is moving from research to routine by implementing AI-assisted scoring. Mona Elisabeth Revheim, head of department for the intervention center at Oslo University Hospital, concluded the session by detailing the clinical adoption of nuclear imaging tracking for cancer diagnostics in Norway.

These talks made it clear that diagnostic innovation must be paired with scalable infrastructure and clinical integration to realize its full impact.

A man with a bald head and trimmed beard gives a presentation from behind a podium, speaking to an audience while standing in front of a projected slide with hexagonal graphics and Norwegian text. The slide includes phrases like “Felles virkelighet,” “Vær æresøk,” and “Definition of domains,” alongside photos of people and objects. The setting appears professional and modern, with a focus on communication or strategy.
Terje Ahlquist, Nordic medical director of oncology at AstraZeneca, gave a presentation at the summer meeting.

Strengthening clinical trials in Norway

Norway’s position in the global clinical trial landscape was the focus of the second session. Terje Ahlquist, nordic medical director of oncology at AstraZeneca, examined international trends and outlined how Norway could take a leading role by improving patient recruitment and speeding up study approvals. Åslaug Helland, research director at Oslo Comprehensive Cancer Center, gave a status update on the IMPRESS Norway platform, which provides access to off-label treatments in a trial setting. Katarina Puco, senior consultant oncologist at Oslo University Hospital, introduced MATRIX-RARE, a new initiative targeting rare cancers, while Christoph Müller, oncologist at Sørlandet Hospital, shared how the academic ProBio prostate cancer study is progressing toward regulatory approval.

A man and a woman stand on stage in front of a seated audience, giving a presentation with a slide titled “effectiveness in Norwegian RWD.” The man, wearing a tan blazer and glasses, stands with arms crossed, while the woman, dressed in a light sleeveless outfit, smiles beside him. The projected slide references a study published in The Lancet about Pembrolizumab in real-world data settings.
Steinar Thoresen, medical director at NordicRWE & Siri Børø, Medical Director at Merck presenting use of data in a lung study during the last session.

Innovative use of health data

The final session turned to health data—how to access it, protect it, and use it to accelerate research. James Peach, COO of OutSee, presented the UK’s strategy for rapid data access in medical research, offering a compelling case for change. Astrid Munk Pedersen, special advisor to the Danish national genmoe center, followed with Denmark’s journey in building a National Genome Center, while Bjørn Henning Grønberg, professor in oncology at NTNU, discussed the clinical use of ctDNA (Circulating tumor DNA are DNA fragments released into the blood by cancer cells) in lung cancer, both for monitoring and research.

Closing the session, a joint presentation from Siri Børø, medical director at Merck, Steinar Thoresen, medical director at NordicRWE, and Eimir Hurley, biostatistician with Ledidi and project manager at Oslo Cancer Cluster, shared findings from CONNECT’s INSPIRE-BIO group. Using lung cancer as a case study, they illustrated how Norway can lead in the generation and secondary use of high-quality health data—if best practices are shared and systems are aligned.

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