New Frontiers in Clinical Research

In 2023, City of Hope researchers achieved remarkable breakthroughs in precision medicine, cellular and gene therapy, targeted treatments, immunotherapy, early detection and diagnostics, robotic procedures and more.

An effort by Linda Malkas, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Molecular Diagnostics and Experimental Therapeutics and M.T. & B.A. Ahmadinia Professor in Molecular Oncology, garnered worldwide attention. Malkas developed a cancer-killing therapy that targets a protein that appears in brain, breast, ovarian, cervical, skin and lung cancers. The compound killed all solid tumor cells in exciting preclinical research.

Another study that received international acclaim was: Division of Lymphoma Chief Alex Herrera, M.D., Phase 3 clinical trial that demonstrated a more effective way to treat advanced Hodgkin’s lymphoma using the checkpoint inhibitor nivolumab added to chemotherapy. “The results are remarkable,” said Dr. Herrera, adding, “The therapy is poised to be a standard for treatment for advanced Hodgkin’s lymphoma.”

An investigation by Elizabeth Budde, M.D., Ph.D., investigation into a bispecific antibody called mosunetuzumab to treat certain kinds of blood cancers also showed promising results. “Mosun” enables T cells to recognize cancer cells, while also pulling the tumor cells closer to the activated T cells, making it easier for them to destroy the malignant cells. In addition, this targeted therapy avoids the systemic side effects associated with chemotherapy.

On the surgical side, City of Hope opened a multicenter clinical trial to evaluate robot assisted, single-incision mastectomies. The minimally invasive procedure, which preserves the nipple and leaves only a small hidden scar, could lead to significant improvements in breast cancer surgery.

And because early detection is key to winning the battle against cancer, there is great excitement about a City of Hope effort, funded by a $4.5 million grant from the National Cancer Institute and led by Ajay Goel, Ph.D., M.S., chair of the Department of Molecular Diagnostics and Experimental Therapeutics at Beckman Research New Frontiers in Clinical Research Institute of City of Hope, and Daniel D. Von Hoff, M.D., distinguished professor in the Molecular Medicine Division at Translational Genomics Research Institute, part of City of Hope, to develop a so-called “liquid biopsy” — a blood test to detect cancer cells — that leverages a unique biomarker for early detection of pancreatic cancer, an especially lethal malignancy almost impossible to detect in its earliest stages.

With these and many other achievements, City of Hope researchers continue to drive the science forward while delivering life-changing therapies to today’s patients.