The Side-Out Foundation

What it reported doing in 2024

During the 20242025 fiscal year we achieved the following research objectives.1. Publication in the British Journal of Cancer. Our manuscript, "Functional activation of the AKTmTOR signalling axis in a real-world metastatic breast cancer cohort" by Rasad D, Baldelli E, Blais EM, Davis J, El Gazzah E, Mueller C, Gomeiz A, Ibrahim A, Newrekar AV, Corgiat BA, Dunetz R, Petricoin III EF, Wei Q, and Pierobon M, was published in the British Journal of Cancer (Br J Cancer. 2024 Nov;131(9):1543-1554). This study analyzed a real-world cohort of 171 metastatic breast cancer patients who underwent multi-omic profiling through Perthera. The primary objective was to characterize metastatic lesions from a genomic perspective and compare them with historical cohorts of primary tumors, with a particular focus on how genetic alterations in the AKTmTOR pathway translate into phenotypic changes at the protein level. The findings represent an important step forward for precision medicine and demonstrate the superiority of multi-omic approaches in identifying patients who may respond to inhibitors targeting the AKT-mTOR pathway. In addition, the study further validated that increased activation of AKT downstream substrates is associated with response to CDK4/6 inhibitor therapy, consistent with observations from the Side Out 3 clinical trial (NCT03195192).2. Discovery of a novel protein-protein interaction with therapeutic relevance. We identified a previously uncharacterized protein-protein interaction that represents a new druggable axis and a potential predictor of response to CDK4/6 inhibitors combined with endocrine therapy in metastatic breast cancer. This discovery emerged from preclinical studies conducted at George Mason University and resulted in the submission of a provisional patent application for the development of a novel diagnostic test to guide patient allocation to targeted treatments.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 84.5%; rating input score 84
• Program expense ratio: 75%; rating input score 75
• Fundraising efficiency: $9.1 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 35; 35th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Pass
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Limited
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 75%; rating input score 75; 16th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 6 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 67
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Fail
  • Document-retention policy: Fail
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Fail
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -11.1%; rating input score 16; 16th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.28; rating input score 51; 51st percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.19; rating input score 32; 32nd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 16.6%; rating input score 20; 20th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: -3% per year; rating input score 0; 10th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: -1.7% per year; rating input score 0; 10th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: -0.4% per year; rating input score 0; 16th percentile among comparable filings