An Australian-led international clinical trial will scientifically investigate the efficacy of the approach within a large cohort of eligible glioblastoma patients and could commence within a year.
The study will trial the use of double immunotherapy. In some patients, double immunotherapy will be combined with chemotherapy.
The trial will be led by The Brain Cancer Centre, which has world-leading expertise in glioblastoma.
“I am delighted to be handing the baton to Dr Jim Whittle, a leading Australian neuro-oncologist at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, The Royal Melbourne Hospital and Co-Head of Research Strategy at The Brain Cancer Centre, to commence a broader scientific study to scientifically determine if – and how – this process might work in treating glioblastoma,” said Prof Long, who also secured drug access for the clinical trial.
“While we are buoyed by the results of this experimental treatment so far, a clinical trial in a large group of patients would need to happen before anyone could consider it a possible breakthrough.”
Dr Whittle, also a laboratory head at WEHI, said: “We are pleased to be able to build on this exciting work by diving into the process of designing a clinical trial, which takes time, care and accuracy.
“When that process is complete, the result will be a world first clinical trial that enables us to thoroughly test the hypothesis against a representative sample of patients.”
The Brain Cancer Centre was founded by Carrie’s Beanies 4 Brain Cancer and established in partnership with WEHI with support from the Victorian Government.
The centre brings together a growing network of world-leading oncologists, immunologists, neurosurgeons, bioinformaticians and cancer biologists.
Commencement of recruitment for the clinical trial will be announced by The Brain Cancer Centre at a later date and will be limited to eligible patients.
