The University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center launched the Hoʻōla Early Phase Clinical Research Center on July 6, marking a new chapter in local cancer care as the state’s first facility dedicated to early-phase clinical trials.
More than 200 community leaders, partners and elected officials attended the grand opening ceremony in Kakaʻako.
The Hoʻōla Early Phase Clinical Research Center will be a new source of hope for cancer patients in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific.
—Naoto Ueno
“The opening of the Hoʻōla Early Phase Clinical Research Center marks a major milestone for cancer care in Hawaiʻi,” said UH Cancer Center Director Naoto Ueno. “For the first time in state history, qualifying cancer patients will have the opportunity to access promising investigational therapies here in Hawaiʻi, without traveling thousands of miles to medical centers on the U.S. mainland.”
Ueno, a researcher, clinical trial leader and two-time cancer survivor, said keeping patients close to their families and communities is an important part of their care journey.
“These patients also will be making invaluable contributions to medical science, as early-phase clinical trials like these are how tomorrow’s standard cancer treatments are developed,” Ueno said. “The Hoʻōla Early Phase Clinical Research Center will be a new source of hope for cancer patients in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific.”
Cancer remains the second leading cause of death in Hawaiʻi, with nearly 76,000 residents living with cancer. A recent UH Cancer Center study found that Hawaiʻi residents spent at least $230 million on out-of-state cancer care from 2021 to 2023, highlighting the need to expand advanced cancer care options in the islands.
Early-phase clinical trials, also known as Phase I and II trials, test new cancer treatments to evaluate safety, dosing and potential effectiveness. The trials follow strict safety protocols, with patients closely monitored by specially trained clinical research teams.
“This facility is a powerful reminder of what can happen when government, health care, industry, and the university work together to impact our community,” said UH President Wendy Hensel.
Expanding access to care
The Hoʻōla Early Phase Clinical Research Center includes dedicated patient treatment areas, specialized clinical research space, a certified pharmacy and a team trained to conduct complex early-phase studies. A pilot Phase I clinical trial is already underway, with one patient enrolled, demonstrating the center’s readiness to support a growing portfolio of clinical trials.
The goal is to have 30 active early-phase clinical trials at Hoʻōla EPCRC by 2031.
“By establishing the specialized clinical research infrastructure needed to conduct early-phase studies in Hawaiʻi, the UH Cancer Center will provide opportunities for patients to participate in innovative Phase I and II clinical trials, while strengthening the state’s role in developing tomorrow’s cancer therapies,” Ueno said.
The 7,500-square-foot center was supported by $19.5 million in funding, including over $1 million from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust. It is operated by University Health Partners in collaboration with members of the Hawaiʻi Cancer Consortium and statewide health care partners.
“Our goal is not only to provide access to promising therapies to patients, but to ensure that discoveries and treatments are informed by the rich variety of Hawaiʻi’s unique people, so that future cancer treatments work better for everyone in Hawaiʻi, the Pacific and worldwide,” Ueno said.
