The WVU Cancer Institute Osborn Hematopoietic Malignancy and Cellular Therapy Program is offering two new forms of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy for the treatment of lymphoma. These additions double the offerings of the CAR-T therapy line offered by the Institute.

The Institute is now able to offer Breyanzi from Juno Therapeutics, Inc., a Bristol-Myers Squibb company, to patients with relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma after two or more lines of systemic therapy, relapsed/refractory primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma, and relapsed/refractory grade 3B follicular lymphoma. It is also able to offer Abecma for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma after four or more prior lines of therapy, including an immunomodulatory agent, a proteosome inhibitor, and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody, have proven ineffective. 

Translating lab discoveries into health care products requires large investments of time and resources. Through the STTR Regional Technology Transfer Accelerator Hubs for IDeA States program, NIGMS helps researchers interested in transitioning their discoveries and/or inventions into products. Here are the stories of three researchers working with the XLerator Hub, which funds projects in the southeastern United States and Puerto Rico.

Lan (Nancy) Guo, Ph.D., a professor of occupational and environmental health sciences at West Virginia University in Morgantown, is developing a test that evaluates gene expression in non-small-cell lung cancer tumors to determine patients’ risk for the recurrence of cancer. The test uses a sample of a surgically removed tumor. If the result suggests a high risk of recurrence, a patient’s doctor could recommend a course of chemotherapy to help prevent it.

Read the full story at the National Institutes of Health

New Project to Accelerate Colorectal Cancer Screening Awarded

Drs. Stephenie Kennedy-Rea and Adam Baus recently received ~$168,000 for a 14-month award with Research Triangle Institute, International entitled: “Accelerating Colorectal Cancer Screening and Follow-Up (ACCSIS) Local Innovation Evaluation”. The goal of this project is to test the feasibility and effectiveness of implementing an electronic health records (EHR)-based intervention to increase colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates in three primary care settings. This project aims to develop a protocol to measure CRC screening rates, enhance follow-up tracking, standardize data collection templates, and identify clinic pathways where EHR use can be optimized

Nominations Now Being Accepted for Vice President’s Awards

The Vice President's Awards Committee is now accepting nominations. The awards are an opportunity to honor and recognize employees at the WVU Health Sciences Center. The deadline is April 30.

Reminder: If you would like to add something to the weekly WVU Cancer eNews please send requests to Lori Acciavatti at wvucancer@hsc.wvu.edu