$6.8 Million Campaign for BC Cancer Immunotherapy Research

The BC Cancer Foundation has launched a $6.8 million fundraising campaign to expand BC Cancer’s provincial immunotherapy research program, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at revolutionizing cancer care and increasing access to life-saving treatments. 

Immunotherapy, which harnesses the power of the immune system to attack and destroy cancer cells, has made significant strides in recent years. BC Cancer’s immunotherapy research program specializes in a type of treatment called CAR-T cell therapy, in which patients are treated with genetically engineered immune cells.  

In BC Cancer’s first CAR-T clinical trial (CLIC-01), co-led by The Ottawa Hospital, for leukemia and lymphoma, 43% of participants achieved complete regression — remarkable given that they had exhausted all other treatment options. Now, two or more years out from treatment, many are cancer-free without signs of relapse.   

The Foundation’s new campaign builds on the origins of BC Cancer’s Deeley Research Centre (DRC), which was established 100% through donor support in 2003. The DRC is a world-renowned hub for immunotherapy advancements and the team collaborates with BC Cancer’s clinical immunotherapy researchers to bring cutting-edge treatments from lab bench to patient. 

“Donor support has been critical in advancing immunotherapy research and bringing hope to patients who do not respond to existing treatments,” said Dr. Brad Nelson, Director of BC Cancer’s Deeley Research Centre. “This campaign will help ensure more patients, including children and those with challenging cancers, have access to these life-changing therapies.” 

Research Advancements

The $6.8 million campaign will focus on two key priorities: 

Expanding Blood Cancer Research: Focuses on completing the incredibly successful CLIC-01 clinical trial, which is testing CD19 CAR-T therapy for patients with blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma. The immunotherapy research team will also be seeking market authorization from Health Canada for the treatment to expand access to the life-saving therapy across the country.  

The team is also launching CLIC-02, a new clinical trial targeting the CD22 protein in lymphoma and leukemia patients, including pediatric patients. Building on the knowledge that patients from CLIC-01 who did not respond to treatment were missing the CD19 protein, this trial seeks to enable more patients to benefit from CAR-T therapy. Patients from across B.C. will be able to access this groundbreaking trial. Led by BC Cancer, the trial will include hospitals in Ontario and Alberta, marking an important step toward making these innovative therapies more widely available. 

Solid Tumour Pre-Clinical Program: This program is tackling one of the toughest challenges in cancer care: developing CAR-T therapies for solid tumors, such as ovarian and pancreatic cancers, which are particularly difficult to treat. Researchers are working on a new approach targeting a protein called mesothelin and are exploring ways to further enhance CAR-T therapy using innovative cell engineering approaches. The ultimate goal is to launch CLIC-03, a clinical trial for solid tumors, by 2027, creating new treatment options for patients with few alternatives. 

Noel Schacter was facing non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma that was no longer responding to chemotherapy when he joined the CLIC-01 trial. The trial was ultimately a success and he is cancer free four years later. “Every day I have to pinch myself and say ‘You’re still here and you really shouldn’t be. This cancer would’ve killed you.’ And there’s no doubt about that,” he shares.  

CAR-T therapy recently became standard of care in B.C. for certain cancers, highlighting the immense potential of this treatment to transform cancer care. Now, BC Cancer’s immunotherapy program is at the forefront of the research needed to bring this groundbreaking treatment to more patients in British Columbia.