Translation of cancer immunotherapies

Abstract

In response to our commentary defining potential barriers to development of novel immunotherapy opportunities, Skipper and colleagues describe a unique cancer immunotherapy consortium developed by the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research (LICR) and joined by the Cancer Research Institute (CRI). The LICR-CRI cancer vaccine collaborative (CVC) funds units in roughly 20 institutions. These units participate in a set of coordinated cancer vaccine clinical trials focused on vaccination with a limited number of tumor antigens identified at LICR and evaluates both the generation of antigen-specific immune responses as well as clinical outcomes. As director of both institutes, Dr. Old has marshaled their vast collective resources in a visionary manner to create a multi-institutional mini-Manhattan Project. CVC's funding base allows the organization to circumvent some of the regulatory and 'public-private partnership' barriers outlined in our commentary. However, the LICR-CRI CVC is arguably so unique, it represents the exception that proves the rule.