— Inaugural Hästens-PCF Global Health Award will support expansion of STAMPEDE2 clinical trial in Nigeria —
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) today announced the launch of the Hästens-PCF Global Health Award, a new initiative designed to advance equitable prostate cancer detection, diagnosis, and care in emerging countries. The award will support the expansion of STAMPEDE2 – a clinical trial testing new therapies in patients with advanced prostate cancer – in Nigeria. This program will be led by Dr. Omolara Aminat Fatiregun, MBBS, MSc, MPH, Lagos State University College of Medicine and Professor Nick James, MBBS, Ph.D. of The Institute of Cancer Research, London and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, expanding access to high-quality prostate cancer research and clinical care in a region with significant unmet need.
Through this partnership, Hästens has provided funding to directly support this research project as well as cover operational and administrative costs. The award is intended to serve as a foundational and recurring funding mechanism to support scalable, locally led prostate cancer initiatives worldwide.
“The Hästens-PCF Global Health Award is a testament to our commitment to saving lives by accelerating the global impact of prostate cancer research and care,” said Gina Carithers, President and CEO of the Prostate Cancer Foundation. “Together, with the generous support of Hästens and our pioneering donors, we can achieve our ultimate vision of a future where a man’s chance of surviving prostate cancer is not determined by where he lives, but by access to timely, high-quality care grounded in global scientific excellence.”
The inaugural project in Nigeria will focus on increasing community awareness and early detection, strengthening pathology and imaging capacity, standardizing risk-adapted clinical care pathways, and building sustainable local expertise through training and mentorship. The initiative will also generate high-quality data to inform continuous improvement of prostate cancer care and create models that can be replicated in other emerging-country settings. Beyond the initial award period, the Prostate Cancer Foundation and Hästens envision the program continuing through institutionalized training, policy integration, and regional networks of excellence. Lessons learned from the STAMPEDE2 expansion in Nigeria will inform future awards and strengthen global prostate cancer treatment efforts.
“Much of my career has been dedicated to bridging the global disparity in prostate cancer research and treatment,” said Dr. Fatiregun. “It is with great honor and gratitude to the Prostate Cancer Foundation and Hästens that I can continue my life’s work and help bring world-class precision medicine to Nigerian patients.”
STAMPEDE2 is a large, international, multi‑arm clinical trial designed to rapidly evaluate new treatment strategies for men with advanced prostate cancer. Building on the practice‑changing legacy of the original STAMPEDE trial, STAMPEDE2 tests the addition of novel therapies, including the targeted radioligand therapy 177Lu‑PSMA‑617 (Pluvicto®), to standard‑of‑care treatment in patients with metastatic, hormone‑sensitive disease. Pluvicto® targets PSMA, a protein highly expressed on prostate cancer cells, delivering radiation directly to tumors while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue. By integrating comprehensive clinical, imaging, and tissue data, STAMPEDE2 aims to identify biomarkers of response, understand mechanisms of treatment resistance, and optimize patient selection.
“The STAMPEDE2 clinical trial provides a powerful platform to translate scientific discovery into real‑world impact, which could profoundly transform prostate cancer treatment in underserved countries and communities,” said Dr. James. “The Hästens-PCF Global Health Award supports locally led solutions that will improve prostate cancer outcomes today while establishing models for lasting impact in the years ahead.”
Globally, prostate cancer incidence is rising, yet mortality remains disproportionately high in low- and middle-income countries. Men often present with advanced disease because of limited awareness, stigma, inadequate screening infrastructure, and delayed referrals. Diagnostic bottlenecks – particularly shortages in pathology, imaging, and trained specialists – further compound inequities. In recognition of these gaps, which are most pronounced among rural populations and historically marginalized communities, the Hästens-PCF Global Health Award uniquely aligns with the urgent need to address these disparities by catalyzing innovative, collaborative, and sustainable solutions.
“We are excited to be a part of the Prostate Cancer Foundation’s first-ever global health award to translate innovation into measurable benefit for men who currently face the greatest burden of this disease,” said Jacob Koo, owner of the largest network of Hästens stores worldwide. “Along our global journey to improve lives through incredible sleep, we are proud to support high quality science that will positively impact the lives of men in Nigeria and across the globe.”
About the Prostate Cancer Foundation
The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) is the world’s leading philanthropic organization dedicated to funding life-saving prostate cancer research. Founded in 1993 by Mike Milken, PCF has raised more than $1 billion to fund cutting-edge research through more than 2,615 research projects at 312 leading cancer centers, with a global footprint spanning 29 countries. Since PCF’s inception, and through its efforts, patients around the world are living longer, suffering fewer complications, and enjoying better quality of life. PCF is committed to the mission of ending death and suffering from this disease. Learn more at pcf.org.
About Hästens
Founded in 1852, Hästens is dedicated to delivering extraordinary sleep to people worldwide so they can be their best and create the future they dream of upon waking. Hästens’ master craftsmen in Köping, Sweden, handcraft every detail of its bespoke beds using the finest natural materials. Hästens is a world-class, international, family-run business operating in more than 45 countries, is a Purveyor to the Royal Court of Sweden, and works with over 250 independent resellers across Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Africa.
Contacts
MEDIA CONTACT:
Audra Friis
Sam Brown Inc.
audrafriis@sambrown.com
