Cancer Immunotherapy Webinar Garners Large Interest

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On January 17, Jill O’Donnell-Tormey, PhD, CEO and Director of Scientific Affairs of the Cancer Research Institute (CRI), gave a webinar on cancer immunotherapy and the CRI’s role in elevating this promising treatment modality into a significant field of medical research. More than 125 people logged in to watch the presentation and ask questions.

Jill ODonnell Tormey 1The field of cancer immunotherapy is progressing rapidly as several new drugs were FDA approved in 2016. Most exciting are so-called checkpoint inhibitors that “take the brakes off” the immune response, enabling a stronger immune attack against cancer. However, despite their demonstrated benefits, these therapies are effective in only 20-40% of patients. Efficacy may be improved for patients with a baseline immune response prior to treatment, potentially elicited by focused ultrasound. The Foundation has partnered with the CRI to help advance the development of FUS and immunotherapy combination treatments.

Established in 1953, the CRI is the oldest organization dedicated to harnessing the immune system’s power to conquer all cancers. For the last decade, the CRI has focused on combination therapies because of the potential for magnified results.

Don’t worry if you missed it. You can view the recording here.