Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy Boasts Standing Room Only Turnout at the 16th Annual American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy Meeting

Presenters Showcased Significant Progress and Future Potential for Cell and Gene Therapies for Cancer

NOTE: In a study originally funded by ACGT, Dr. Carl June, a panelist at the recent ACGT Symposium, has achieved unprecedented results with clinical trial patients like Emma Whitehead. When asked if his goal is to cure cancer, he said it is his goal and added, "It's hard to think you might actually succeed.” http://vimeo.com/54668275

STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy, Inc. (ACGT), www.acgtfoundation.org, https://twitter.com/acgtfoundation, and https://www.facebook.com/acgtfoundation, today announced that its inaugural Symposium Gene and Cell Therapy For Cancer held recently at the 16^th Annual American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah, boasted more than 300 attendees.

“We are strongly encouraged by the significant progress that is being made in the area of cell and gene therapies for cancer,” said Barbara Netter, ACGT President and Co-Founder. She added, “It has been a little over a decade since ACGT provided seed money in the form of grants to Young Investigators to conduct this critical lifesaving research. Today, we are joined by multi-national pharmaceutical companies that are investing in this research, further reinforcing the importance of our continued investment.”

The ACGT Symposium, co-chaired by Xandra O. Breakefield, PhD, Massachusetts General Hospital, outgoing ASGCT President, and Savio L.C. Woo, PhD, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, both ACGT Scientific Advisory Council members, featured four members of ACGT’s Scientific Advisory Council who showcased the significant progress that is being made and future potential for cell and gene therapies for cancer. ACGT was also well represented at the Conference, with six other scientists presenting at other panels, and several others as authors of abstracts. ACGT is also proud to note that three of its Young Investigators have also been recognized by ASCGT as Outstanding New Investigators.

Speakers and Topics Included:

• Joseph C. Glorioso, III, PhD -- Targeted Cancer Therapies, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
  Cancer virotherapy remains a very versatile strategy that takes advantage of advances in enhanced vector design to provide the most potent, highly selective tumor killers.
• Stephen J. Russell, MD, PhD -- Oncolytic Virotherapy, Mayo Clinic
  Oncolytic viruses (OV) selectively destroy neoplastic tissue and it is theoretically possible to engineer or adapt any naturally occurring virus for this purpose. Key engineering strategies were reviewed and several oncolytic viruses that are currently in clinical trials were summarized.
• Carl H. June, MD -- T Cell Mediated Gene Transfer for Cancer Therapy, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
  The adoptive transfer of anti-tumor T cells that can mediate regression of established metastatic cancers in patients was reviewed. These studies demonstrate the power and potential of adoptive T cell immunotherapy to mediate the regression of established advanced cancer in humans. Most recently, immunotherapy was a hot topic at ASCO, and a feature in a major New York Times article on cell and gene therapy advances in fighting cancer.
• Lieping Chen, MD, PhD -- New Perspectives in the Development of Cancer Vaccines, Yale University School of Medicine
  Ample evidence suggests that human malignancies express tumor-associated or tumor-specific antigens. Discussion was focused on analysis of mechanisms in the tumor microenvironment in the context of improvement of the efficacy of cancer vaccines.

ACGT is the nation’s only not-for-profit organization solely dedicated to cell and gene therapy research for all types of cancer. To donate, please visit www.acgtfoundation.org or call 203.358.8000.