Research Program Four:  Clinical and Experimental Therapeutics

Program Leaders:  Everett E. Vokes, MD and M. Eileen Dolan, PhD

Overview and Scientific Goals

The Clinical and Experimental Therapeutics Program is a cohesive, integrated program with 51 members representing 9 departments. This is a broad program with the overall goal to foster interaction between basic and clinical investigators that will result in innovative and effective therapies for cancer patients. The scientific goals are to:
1)   foster interaction between basic and clinical investigators that will result in innovative and effective therapies;
2)   integrate new drugs into the development of multimodality therapies for patients with advanced solid tumors; and
3)   pursue a broad program of preclinical, translational, and clinical research in pharmacogenetics and pharmacology.

The program has a long-standing focus on drug development at all phases of clinical testing and a strong pharmacogenetic component. The translational nature of much of the work emanating from this program and the leadership role assumed by many program faculty in studies conducted by national clinical cooperative groups illustrates the impact of this program in developing new therapies for oncology.

Program Highlights 2005 – 2007

  • Significant new funding has been awarded and/or recompeted in the last two years
    • In 2005, the U01 Pharmacogenetics of Anticancer Agents was successfully recompeted in the amount of $2,390,635 (PI: Dr. Ratain).
    • In 2006 the Phase II contract was recompeted for annual direct cost of $941,221 (PI: Dr. Vokes).
    • The Breast Cancer SPORE was funded in October 2006 (PI: Dr. Olopade, Program 6), and Dr. Dolan is PI of Project 4: Identifying population specific variants important in toxicity to breast cancer chemotherapy (NCI annual direct $194,660).
    • LLS SCOR (PI: Dr. Lowe from CSHL, UCCRC project/core leaders: Drs. Stock, Le Beau, Dolan) in the amount of $263,500. The sum of annual direct costs in grant support from NCI is $3,613,675.
    • Members of the Program are PIs on 9 R01’s, 4 R21’s, 1 P01, and over 110 other industry, ACS or non-peer reviewed funding as of 02/01/07.

  • 226 clinical trials opened since 01/01/2005, including 25 Phase I, 111 Phase II, and 38 Phase III trials.
  • Program memebers have led the clinical development of several cancer therapeutics including sorafenib (studies resulted in FDA approval for its use in renal cell carcinoma), O6-benzylguanine (preclinical through clinical studies), and oral agents for the treatment of head and neck cancer.

  • Pharmacogenetic studies of irinotecan (Camptosar) have lead to an FDA label change.

  • Developed the use of pharmacogenomic endpoints in multiple clinical trials.

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Links

Program 1
Cell Signaling and Gene Regulation
Program Leaders: Marsha Rosner, PhD and Suzanne Conzen, MD

Program 2
Molecular Genetics and Hematopoiesis
Program Leaders: Wendy Stock, MD and Michael Thirman, MD

Program 3
Immunology and Cancer
Program Leader: Thomas F. Gajewski, MD, PhD

Program 4
Clinical and Experimental Therapeutics
Program Leaders: Everett E. Vokes, MD and M. Eileen Dolan, PhD

Program 5
Advanced Imaging
Program Leaders: Maryellen L. Giger, PhD and Heber MacMahon, MD

Program 6
Cancer Risk and Prevention
Program Leaders: Olufunmilayo (Funmi) I. Olopade, MBBS and Andrea King, PhD