How cell and gene therapy can transform cancer treatment.

The mission of Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy (ACGT) is to fund innovative scientists and biotechnology companies working to harness the power of cell and gene therapy to transform how cancer is treated and drive momentum toward a cure. Unlike standard treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, cell and gene therapies harness the power of the human immune system to destroy cancer cells without harming healthy tissue.

These therapies also can be “living medicines” that protect the body from tumors returning for years after the therapy was administered. This can often allow people with a history of a cancer diagnosis to enjoy their lives without the need for recurring treatment sessions. This science has the potential to revolutionize cancer treatment, as explained in a recent video by ACGT Research Fellow Daniel Powell, PhD (University of Pennsylvania).

ACGT’s pursuit of a cancer-free future is only possible thanks to our alliance of donors, scientists, survivors, caregivers and others who are invested in the potential of cell and gene therapy to kill difficult-to-treat tumors.

You can watch more videos about cell and gene therapy on ACGT’s YouTube channel. Help ACGT spread awareness about cancer cell and gene therapy by forwarding this email newsletter to friends and family who you believe may be interested. They can also sign up to receive future communications from ACGT.

Unleash hope in 2024: A call to support ACGT’s mission.

ACGT extends immense gratitude to our dedicated supporters. As we begin a new year, why not make a philanthropic resolution that resonates throughout 2024 and beyond?

Consider becoming a monthly donor to ACGT, a dynamic and impactful way to contribute to our mission of funding scientists who are working to harness the power of cell and gene therapy against cancer. By putting your giving plan on autopilot, you provide a consistent stream of support for the advancement of groundbreaking research and therapies. Your commitment as a monthly donor ensures that we can rely on your generosity each month, providing the stability needed to make significant strides in the cancer battle.

For those whose preferences lean toward a one-time commitment, kickstart the year with a substantial gift. Your contribution will have an immediate impact, offering crucial resources for scientists such as Crystal Mackall, MD (Stanford University), to explore innovative approaches to cell and gene therapy for pediatric patients. The satisfaction of knowing your support is making a difference is a powerful motivator and a testament to your dedication to the cause.

At ACGT, we firmly believe in the transformative potential of cell and gene therapy to revolutionize cancer treatment. Your support plays a pivotal role in turning this belief into reality.

Let’s make 2024 a year of hope, progress and triumph over cancer. Join us in the fight by becoming a monthly donor or making a meaningful one-time gift.

Plus, 100% of your donation goes directly to support our research and programs.

Meet the newest ACGT Board of Directors member.

ACGT welcomes Bruce Levine, PhD, of University of Pennsylvania, to its 16-person Board of Directors!

Dr. Levine is the Barbara and Edward Netter Professor in Cancer Gene Therapy at University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine and the Founding Director of the Clinical Cell and Vaccine Production Facility (CVPF) in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Abramson Cancer Center. He received a degree in Biology from University of Pennsylvania and a PhD in Immunology and Infectious Diseases from Johns Hopkins University. 

His first-in-human adoptive immunotherapy trials include the first use of a lentiviral vector, the first infusions of gene-edited cells, and the first use of lentiviral-modified cells to treat cancer.

Dr. Levine is also co-inventor of Kymriah, the first FDA-approved CAR T-cell therapy for cancer. Kymriah is approved for leukemia and lymphoma.

Please visit our website to read more about Dr. Levine’s background and accomplishments, and those of the other ACGT Board of Directors members.

An overview of the 2023 International Oncolytic Virotherapy Conference.

ACGT Research Fellows, Scientific Advisory Council members, and Executive Leadership attended the 2023 International Oncolytic Virotherapy Conference in Canada. From left to right: Kah Whye Peng, PhD (Mayo Clinic); E. Antonio Chiocca, MD, PhD (Brigham and Women’s Hospital); Douglas Mahoney, PhD (University of Calgary); John Bell, PhD (Ottawa Hospital Research Institute); Stephen Russell, MD, PhD (CEO of Vyriad); Barbara Lavery (ACGT Chief Program Officer); Stephen Thorne, PhD (KaliVir Immunotherapeutics); Joseph Glorioso, III, PhD (University of Pittsburgh); Candelaria Gomez-Manzano, MD (University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center); Noriyuki Kasahara, PhD (University of California, San Francisco); and Juan Fueyo, MD (University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center).

The 2023 International Oncolytic Virotherapy Conference (IOVC) was hosted by University of Calgary and McMaster University and held in Banff, Alberta, Canada. The conference launched more than 20 years ago at the inaugural meeting in Rochester, Minnesota, hosted by the Mayo Clinic. Since then, a passionate group of scientists and clinicians has embarked on a mission to establish a world-class oncolytic virus therapy conference, bringing together clinicians, academic researchers and biotech companies in the field.

The conference enables sharing and discussing the advancements in oncolytic virus approaches and provides a global stage for researchers to showcase their work and explore international collaborations while enabling pharmaceutical companies to access the cutting-edge research happening in small biotech and academic labs, in an atmosphere where the free exchange of scientific knowledge is cultivated, and discussion remains unbiased and academic.

The 2023 IOVC featured many ACGT Scientific Advisory Committee members and Research Fellows, including: Kah Whye Peng, PhD (Mayo Clinic); E. Antonio Chiocca, MD, PhD (Brigham and Women’s Hospital); Douglas Mahoney, PhD (University of Calgary); John Bell, PhD (Ottawa Hospital Research Institute); Stephen J. Russell, MD, PhD (CEO of Vyriad); Stephen Thorne, PhD (KaliVir Immunotherapeutics); Joseph C. Glorioso, III, PhD (University of Pittsburgh); Noriyuki Kasahara, MD, PhD (University of California, San Francisco); and Juan Fueyo, MD (University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center).

Visit the ACGT website to read our blog highlighting the conference.

In the news

The latest from around the cancer cell and gene therapy research world.

• The FDA could soon approve Iovance’s lifileucel, a tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte cancer therapy, for advanced melanoma, a much-anticipated milestone for the 35-year-old T-cell therapy modality.
• Seattle Children’s Hospital has launched BrainChild Bio, a biotech company focused on accelerating CAR T-cell therapies for children with brain tumors.
• Early results from a University of Pennsylvania phase 1 clinical trial of AT101, a new CAR T-cell therapy that uses a distinct binding mechanism to target the protein CD19, showed a 100% complete response rate for some patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
• In a three-year follow-up study, patients treated with Yescarta, a CAR T-cell therapy from Kite, a Gilead company, experienced an 86% complete response rate and the three-year estimate for overall survival was 81%.