Legacy Funding of Brain Tumor Society
In 2007, the Brain Tumor Society joined forces with other public and private funders to ensure the continued progress of two research collaborations by leading brain tumor centers. Other collaborators for this undertaking are Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure, American Brain Tumor Association and the National Cancer Institute.
The National Cancer Institute funds Specialized Programs Of Research Excellence (SPORE) for specific cancer types. At the four fully-funded brain tumor SPOREs, researchers have met the challenge to advance their collaborative research to the point of clinical trials. This year, two top peer-reviewed projects were identified and sat poised for clinical trials – but could not advance due to limited funding. BTS and other leaders combined their research funding power to bring these two immunotherapy projects to clinical trial. Timely testing of therapies is essential, and this multi-source funding allows these projects to advance immediately.
The Brain Tumor Society was honored to offer its funding in honor of the late Dennis Roth, former Chair of the BTS Board of Directors.
Andrew Parsa, MD, PhD
Brain Tumor Research Center, Department of Neurological Surgery
University of California, San Francisco
Heat shock protein vaccine development
This project is an effectiveness study of heat shock protein peptide complex-96 vaccine (HSPCC-96), a vaccine based on an individual patient’s own tumor cells. This agent has shown success in other tumor types and may provide a good immunotherapy option for a newly diagnosed GBM patient with a near complete resection.
John Sampson, MD, PhD
Duke University Medical Center
Durham, North Carolina
Enhancing CMV-specific anti-tumor immune responses in malignant astrocytomas
This investigation will evaluate the effectiveness of the proven vaccine PEPvIII-KLH with a human antibody that blocks CTLA-4 antigens. This combination may improve immuno-response in patients with residual tumor after concurrent radiation and temozolomide therapy.
