A pioneering research study announced today (October 23) will test several new treatments for people living in the UK with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.
Funded by Cancer Research UK and Minderoo Foundation, the trial will for the first time allow researchers to tailor the treatment provided to each group of participants, meaning several new drugs can be tested over a short period of time.
As part of the trial, each patient’s genome will also be sequenced, allowing researchers to target their treatment more precisely, the charities said.
Glioblastomas are the most common type of cancerous brain tumor in adults, accounting for almost a third (32%) of primary brain tumors diagnosed in England between 1995 and 2017.
However, due to the unique biology of the brain, finding new treatments has proven difficult. There have been more than 1,000 clinical trials for brain cancer over the past two decades, but these have not resulted in significant advances.
To help tackle this problem, Cancer Research UK and the Minderoo Foundation are each committing £1.68 million (£3.36 million in total) to fund the ‘aGile Genomically Guided Glioma Next Generation Platform Trial’ , also known as the 5G platform trial. The hope is that the unique approach taken by this trial will help accelerate the development of new treatments while benefiting patients.
The 5G platform trial is sponsored by the Institute of Cancer Research in London and led by the Joint Drug Development Unit of the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR).
Brain tumors are notoriously difficult to treat because we don’t yet know enough about the biology of the disease and current treatments aren’t effective enough.
This new trial offers something different as researchers will use participants’ DNA to help them target treatments. Whole genome sequencing tests can provide clues about how a cancer may have developed, how it will behave, and what treatment options would be most effective.
Further research is needed, but it is hoped the technology could one day be used within the NHS to improve the treatment and care of people with cancer.
Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK, Michelle Mitchell
Minderoo Foundation co-founder Dr Andrew Forrest AO said:
“The Minderoo Foundation was created to address difficult and persistent challenges. There are few challenges more serious than brain cancer.
“Our investment in this groundbreaking study reinforces Minderoo’s commitment to being part of a world where cancer treatment options are not limited and hope is available to everyone, no matter how common or rare your cancer is. cancer.
The 5G platform study is the world’s first adaptive clinical trial platform for brain tumor patients. The drug or combination of drugs a patient receives will depend on the specific genetic makeup of their cancer. The trial design also allows treatments developed for other types of cancer to be tried in brain cancer patients for the first time.
Incorporating flexibility into the design means that medications given to patients can be changed as real-time data is collected and incorporated, making it easier for researchers to try multiple treatment options on different patient groups . This both benefits the trial itself and improves the likelihood of a positive outcome for participants.
Dr Juanita Lopez from the Institute of Cancer Research and Dr Richard Mair from Cancer Research UK Cambridge Center will co-lead the trial.
Dr Juanita Lopez, consultant medical oncologist at the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and the London Institute of Cancer Research, said:
“We have seen progress in the treatment of many types of cancer over the past decades, but to a lesser extent for brain cancers like glioblastoma.
“The 5G platform trial presents a unique opportunity to work in new and exciting ways to find better treatment options for this patient population. »
Honorary consultant neurosurgeon at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and co-lead of the Virtual Brain Cancer Institute at Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre, Dr Richard Mair said:
“Brain cancers like glioblastoma are notoriously difficult to treat. I am delighted to co-lead this first global study designed for this type of cancer.
“The use of whole genome sequencing for each patient participating in the trial, carried out in “real time”, allows us to be both agile and precise in targeting our drugs. We hope this approach will help patients with this cancer whose needs are unmet.
The first trial sites for the 5G platform opened in August 2024, with further sites planned across the UK as the study progresses. The drugs used in the study will be provided by partners in the pharmaceutical industry.
The trial involves researchers from the ICR Clinical Trials and Statistics Unit (ICR-CTSU) funded by Cancer Research UK and is supported by the National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Center (NIHR BRC) of the Royal Marsden and the ICR. It is being run in partnership with the Minderoo Precision Brain Tumor programme, sponsored by Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Cambridge.
Funding for this study is part of Cancer Research UK’s long-term commitment to investing in brain cancer research. Cancer Research UK recently announced an additional £8 million in funding for our two Brain Tumor Centers of Excellence.
