Welcome to our April 2025 newsletter.
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ACGT hosts Summit 2025 — the cutting edge of cell and gene therapy.
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On March 19-20, Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy (ACGT) held its annual scientific summit – ACGT Summit 2025 – an invitation-only gathering bringing together top scientists in cancer cell and gene therapy. ACGT Research Fellows, ACGT Scientific Advisory Council members, biotech and pharma experts, and other industry thought leaders collaborated to share ideas, updates and discuss the present and future of cell and gene therapy for cancer.
Over the course of two days at the Alexandria Center for Life Science in New York, scientists and researchers at the cutting edge of cell and gene therapy research highlighted several specific areas of heightened interest, with presentations and panel discussions diving into innovations and challenges in treating brain, gynecologic and pancreatic cancer, as well as illuminating conversations on the past year’s major patient breakthroughs and how to make them accessible to the wider public.
The attendees praised Summit 2025 for providing a setting where some of the brightest luminaries and trailblazers in cell and gene therapy could meet to exchange ideas, brainstorm future directions, and work to advance the current state of the art.
“In cell and gene therapy I think the sky is the limit, and from my point of view there really is no group apart from this one that is devoted to just this area,” said ACGT Scientific Advisory Council member Ira Mellman, MD (Medici Therapeutics). “I think to have an organization [like ACGT] that both supports this work and provides a forum such as this for people to be able to get together and discuss it at a high level in great detail is incredibly valuable.”
ACGT will share more details about Summit 2025 in the May e-newsletter.
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Conquer cancer: fund the breakthroughs that save lives.
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ACGT is leading the charge in transforming cancer treatment through the power of cell and gene therapy. With the help of dedicated supporters like you, we are funding innovative research that is reshaping the future of cancer care and giving patients new hope.
At our recent ACGT Summit 2025, we witnessed the incredible impact of these advancements firsthand. Two inspiring patient survivors, Laurie Adami and Chris White, shared their journeys, demonstrating how innovative cell and gene therapies have given them a second chance at life. Their stories serve as a powerful reminder of the tangible difference research funding makes.
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Yet, despite the progress, there is still much work to be done. Solid tumors—such as pancreatic cancer, brain cancer, and pediatric cancers—remain some of the most difficult to treat.
ACGT is committed to funding the next frontier—pioneering cell and gene therapies that harness the power of the immune system to fight even the most complex cancers. With your support, we can accelerate these advancements and bring new hope to patients and families who need it most.
Your generosity has already fueled transformative discoveries. But without continued investment, many promising therapies may never reach the patients who desperately need them. Imagine a future where no family has to face a cancer diagnosis without hope. That future is within reach, but only with your support.
100% of your donation goes directly to funding research and programs, ensuring that every dollar has maximum impact. Will you help us change the trajectory of cancer treatment? Donate today and be part of the movement that is bringing real, lasting change to the fight against cancer.
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Proposals are being accepted for the 2025 Investigator Award in Cell and Gene Therapy for Gynecological Cancer, along with the Cinelli Family Foundation Investigator Award in Cell and Gene Therapy for Breast Cancer. Visit the ACGT website for more information.
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ACGT adds new Scientific Advisory Council members.
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Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy is honored to announce the addition of three new members of the ACGT Scientific Advisory Council (SAC). Joining the SAC in 2025 are Alex Marson, MD, PhD, Professor at UCSF and the Director of the Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology; Ira Mellman, PhD, Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Medici Therapeutics; and Isabelle Rivière, PhD, Vice President, Head of Oncology Cell Therapy Technologies, and Product Engine at Takeda. The ACGT SAC guides the organization in its strategic funding and collaborations to support innovative cancer cell and gene therapy research, leading to breakthroughs for patients who need them.
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Cancer pioneer Steven A. Rosenberg, MD, PhD, honored with The Edward Netter Leadership Award.
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Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy awarded The Edward Netter Leadership Award to Steven A. Rosenberg, MD, PhD, at the ACGT Gala Awards Luncheon, honoring one of the key trailblazers in immunotherapy, including cell and gene therapy, after over 50 years as the Chief of the Surgery Branch at the National Cancer Institute.
Dr. Rosenberg’s research into interleukin-2 led to the first cancer immunotherapy to be approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration, and setting the stage for years of subsequent study into CAR T and TIL therapies for cancer patients.
Over the course of his decades at the National Cancer Institute, Rosenberg has remained on the cutting edge of cell and gene therapy research. ACGT is proud to honor Rosenberg with The Edward Netter Leadership Award, signifying his groundbreaking ingenuity, perseverance and commitment to the development of cell and gene therapy for cancer.
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The latest on cancer cell and gene therapy from around the world.
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