Solid Tumors account for 30% of all childhood cancers. Sarcoma, a cancer that develops in the bone and soft tissue are the most common types of non-central nervous systems solid tumors diagnosed in children. While advances have been made in survival rates over the past several decades, these solid tumors remain among the most resistant…
Category Archives: Research
RACE for Children Act Signed into Law
The RACE (Research to Accelerate Cures and Equity for Children Act) became law on August 18, 2017 following bi-partisan and collaborative action in Congress. This now provides childhood cancer equal footing on some drugs as they are developed for adult cancers. Surprising to many, the Pediatric Research Equity Act (PREA) of 2003 did not achieve…
FDA Approves CART-19
It is extremely encouraging that in less than 6 years CART-19 went from new clinical trial status to Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approval for treatment. The very first FDA approved immunotherapy treatment was for an adult prostate cancer in 2010. In 2011, six-year old Emily Whitehead received the first pediatric trial of a novel…
FDA approves second pediatric leukemia T cell therapy
Dr. Michael Jensen of Seattle Children’s has announced the FDA approval of the second pediatric leukemia T cell therapy, allowing patients between the ages of 12 months and 27 who have relapsed after bone marrow transplantation. This allows for treatment on an accelerated basis with the latest version of reprogrammed T cells. For many children,…
Juno biotech launch focuses on immunotherapies for cancer
The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Fred Hutch) and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), along with pediatric partner Seattle Children’s Research Institute, have joined forces to launch Juno Therapeutics Inc., a new biotechnology company focused on bringing forward novel immunotherapies for cancer. Juno is being launched with an initial investment of $120M, making it one…