Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a particularly innovative and promising therapeutic approach in oncology, especially in childhood leukemia.

The principle consists either of injecting cells capable of recognising and killing the tumour cells, or of stimulating the immune system with drug antibodies, so that it recognises and eliminates the tumour cells.

This revolutionary new technique can be very effective where there has been failure of other treatments. In the first trials, 50 to 90% of the patients treated with immunotherapy are in remission from their disease one month later. To date, very few children in the world have had access to it. In order for immunotherapy to benefit more children with cancer, paediatric basic and clinical research in this area must be accelerated.

Immunotherapy program on lymphoma : 

The aim of this trial is to evaluate the efficacy of Nivolumab, an innovative immune system-boosting drug, for first-line treatment or relapse in patients with large-cell anaplastic lymphoma.

Sponsor : Gustave Roussy
Principal Investigator : Dr Laurence Brugières
Duration of the program : sept 2018 – sept 2021
Number of patients : 40
In partnership with ITCC*

Call for financing : 600 000€
Funds are allocated at the end of the fundraising campaign  

* Innovative Therapies for Children with Cancer, a European consortium of 54 pediatric oncology and hematology departments and 22 research laboratories in Europe and Israel.