For the last couple of years, Nelina’s Hope has been supporting preclinical trial research studies for a specialized procedure called High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) at the Brain Tumor Research Centre at SickKids Hospital in Toronto. This procedure, developed by Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre scientists, allows temporary disruption of the blood brain barrier to allow for more effective treatment directly at the site of the tumor.
We have learned that the preclinical trial research has concluded and a clinical trial for DIPG is before Health Canada for approval with initial rounds of patient enrollment beginning in early 2022. The trial will initially be looking at safety and feasibility in patients using established chemotherapies that don’t cross the blood brain barrier on their own.
Looking ahead to later phases of the clinical trial, experiments are now being conducted to find drug candidates and/or combinations of drugs that could be used in later stages of this trial to test the efficacy of treatment known to target Diffuse Midline Glioma/Diffuse intrainsic pontine Glioma (DMG/DIPG) specifically based on the tumor’s genetic profiles.
We are excited to share that our 2021 – 2022 Gifts of Hope will help support these initial experiments. Because of your support of Nelina’s Hope, we can direct funds to the most critical projects that are advancing medical treatments for rare and difficult-to-treat pediatric brain tumors and creating hope for families affected by this disease. Together, we can make a difference in changing the survival rate for this disease.