From Blueprint to Bedside: How One Community Cancer Program Used ACCC’s Resources to Accelerate Bispecific Antibody Adoption

As the immuno-oncology landscape evolves, bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) have emerged as a promising therapeutic advancement. By simultaneously binding to 2 distinct targets, these agents enable highly specific immune engagement and represent a rapidly expanding treatment option across hematologic malignancies and select solid tumors alike. 

While clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of BsAbs, many cancer programs face a distinct set of challenges in operationalizing their use. These therapies require multidisciplinary coordination, vigilant toxicity monitoring, and robust infrastructure to safely administer step-up dosing and manage immune-related adverse events such as cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and neurotoxicity. 

For many community sites, the question is not whether to offer BsAbs but how to implement them safely, sustainably, and equitably—often within limited staffing, space, and technology resources. Recognizing these needs, the Association of Cancer Care Centers (ACCC) developed 2 practical, implementation-focused tools to support programs at every stage of readiness: the Blueprint for Successful Integration of Bispecific Antibodies and the Oncology Pharmacy Bispecific Antibody Virtual Office Hours.

At Lee Health Cancer Institute, a community-based program within a multihospital health system in southwest Florida, the ACCC resources served as a catalyst for action—helping a multidisciplinary team translate aspiration into execution and bring innovative, patient-centered therapy closer to home.

A Road Map and a Peer Network: ACCC’s Dual Approach 

Recognizing the complexity of BsAb implementation, ACCC created 2 complementary resources to support cancer programs eager to offer BsAbs to the patients they serve: 

1. The Blueprint for Successful Integration of Bispecific Antibodies provides a structured road map outlining key stakeholder roles, process flows, education needs, toxicity-management guidance, and implementation checklists. It helps programs identify the right team members, anticipate common hurdles, and plan workflows for safe BsAb delivery. 
2. The Oncology Pharmacy Bispecific Antibody Virtual Office Hours offer a forum for peer-to-peer exchange among oncology pharmacy leaders, clinicians, and administrators from both academic and community settings. Participants ask questions and share real-world strategies on patient monitoring, inpatient vs outpatient administration, operational logistics, and management of immune-related toxicities.

Together, these resources combine strategy and practicality: the Blueprint establishes the “what” and “how” of BsAb integration. At the same time, the Office Hours demonstrate “how others are doing it” in real-world practice. 

Lee Health’s BsAb Implementation Story 

At Lee Health Cancer Institute, oncology pharmacist Kacie Brubaker, PharmD, and her team found themselves on the cusp of introducing BsAbs to their patients. Brubaker recalls that while the clinical opportunity was clear, the “operational playbook” was not — especially for a midsize community center. That’s where the ACCC resources came in. 

They began by reviewing the ACCC Blueprint. The document’s modular structure—outlining stakeholder roles (pharmacy, nursing, infusion, outpatient oncology, inpatient unit, emergency services), educational touchpoints, delivery-setting options, and adverse event considerations—allowed Lee Health to map its current infrastructure and identify gaps. 

Next, Lee Health registered for the ACCC Virtual Office Hours. There, Brubaker and her team heard from academic and community-based peers who had already launched BsAbs and discussed how they managed step-up dosing, outpatient vs inpatient monitoring, caregiver support, remote monitoring devices (eg, thermometers, pulse oximeters), and coordination with inpatient units.

Brubaker attended the first Virtual Office Hours session to listen and learn. “I wanted to hear what the expert panel had to say and to understand what I did and didn’t know,” she explains. By the next session, however, she came prepared with a written early implementation plan for her institution. During the discussion, experienced oncology pharmacists with hands-on expertise in BsAbs offered individualized feedback, helping her distinguish which ideas were practical and which might require further refinement.

For instance, during the session, an expert noted, “The biggest deciding factor on whether we’re going to administer in the outpatient setting is caregiver support.” That insight proved pivotal for Lee Health: they formalized a caregiver-support screening process to be used before treatment initiation. Another example stemmed from guidance recommending that programs begin with a single BsAb aligned with institutional priorities. Brubaker is now putting that advice into action at Lee Health as they operationalize their first BsAb agent, aligning the interests and concerns of key stakeholders, including the outpatient infusion team and the oncology nursing group. 

Key Lessons and Tips for Other Centers 

From Lee Health’s journey, a few practical takeaways emerge for other cancer programs interested in operationalizing BsAbs: 

• To start, choose 1 BsAb, 1 disease state, and 1 institutional champion to move efforts forward.
• Use the Blueprint to map existing infrastructure and identify gaps early (eg, infusion capacity, nursing education, outpatient monitoring, caregiver support, emergency pathways).
• Attend Virtual Office Hours to obtain invaluable tacit knowledge: “How did you staff outpatient monitoring?” “When do you admit vs administer outpatient?” “What devices do patients need at home?”
• Multidisciplinary ownership is essential. Pharmacy, nursing, infusion, inpatient, outpatient oncology, and emergency providers all need to be engaged.
• Decide on your institution’s care setting up front. Factors such as caregiver reliability and patient travel needs can inform the decision to monitor the first dose in the hospital before transitioning to outpatient care. 

Call to Action

Launching a BsAb program doesn’t have to be daunting, especially when leverageable resources already exist. For community cancer programs like Lee Health Cancer Institute, the robust road map of the ACCC Blueprint combined with the peer-learning of the Virtual Office Hours provided both structure and confidence in execution.

If your cancer center is considering integrating BsAbs or seeking a smoother path forward, consider accessing the ACCC Blueprint and registering for the next Virtual Office Hours session. With proper planning, peer support, and the right tools, you too can go from blueprint to bedside with confidence.