NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – The Translational Genomics Research Institute and its partners Nemucore Medical Innovations and Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center have received a $3 million grant to fund a personalized glioblastoma treatment study.
TGen said yesterday that the funding from the Ben & Catherine Ivy Foundation will support a trial using individual tumor genetics to optimize targeted glioblastoma therapies that will be delivered via nanotechnology tools.
The project will harness TGen's genome sequencing and molecular profiling capabilities and Nemucore's nanomedicines, which are designed to deliver medications by evading cancer defenses.
Barrow, which treats one of the highest volumes of brain tumor patients in the US, will conduct preclinical work for the nanomedicines and host the clinical trials, TGen said.
Nemucore will work with the research partners from the beginning of the study, which will enable the company to advise the team on methods and components as it develops formulations for crossing the blood-brain barrier, according to company CEO Tim Coleman.
"Without this type of integrated approach it would take much longer to translate these individualized investigational therapies to the clinic," Coleman said in a statement.
The research team also plans to work with Peoria, Ariz.-based Blue Ocean Manufacturing, where Coleman is also CEO, to develop methods to manufacture the resulting personalized medication.