Dear Colleagues,
On Aug. 30, 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) approved tisagenlecleucel, a chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR T)
therapy directed against CD19, for certain pediatric and young adult patients
with a form of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). As the first gene therapy to
receive FDA approval, this is a major breakthrough and represents the
culmination of years of work from researchers and clinicians in the field of
cancer immunotherapy.
Through educational opportunities and the promotion of
collaboration among clinicians and scientists from around the world, the
Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) serves as a driving force behind
recent progress in cellular therapies. For example, abstract presentations and
informational sessions highlighting the latest research on tumor infiltrating
lymphocytes, gene transfer technology and adoptive cellular therapies have been
a mainstay in our meetings for years.
Key leaders in the field – including Carl June, MD; Steven A. Rosenberg, MD, PhD; and Michel Sadelain, MD – have used the platform of the
SITC Annual Meeting to present their research. Dedicated sessions have covered
topics addressing issues spanning basic science and clinical aspects of immune
cell-based therapy, including: the engineering of signaling constructs and of
vectors to increase the efficiency of gene transfer; the identification of
target cells; optimization of culture growth factors, ways to detect the
presence of cells and their longevity in vivo; as well as regulatory aspects of
utilizing cellular therapies in the clinic.
Building on the excitement of the recent FDA approval,
Stephan Grupp, MD, PhD will deliver a highly anticipated keynote address on the
CAR T revolution in leukemia at the SITC 2017 Annual Meeting in National
Harbor, Md. In addition, the final day of the program will feature a session on
“Genetically Modified Cell Therapy” co-chaired by Carl H. June, MD; Marcela V.
Maus, MD, PhD; and Helen E. Heslop, MD.
There is still so much more to come for our field. We look
forward to seeing you all at SITC 2017 to learn about the next exciting
breakthroughs in the field of cancer immunology and immunotherapy.
Best Wishes,
Lisa H. Butterfield, PhD
SITC President
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