LONDON, February 15, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --
BTG plc (LSE: BTG), the global specialist healthcare company,
today announced a collaboration with the Society of Interventional
Oncology (SIO), a global organization working to nurture and
support interventional oncology worldwide, to explore the role of
interventional oncology alongside immuno-oncology.
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Recent advances in cancer immunotherapy have led to an explosion
of interest in immuno-oncology. Newly approved treatments, such as
checkpoint inhibitors, have been shown to prolong overall survival
but only for a limited proportion of cancer patients, and only in
certain tumour types. Combining immuno-oncology agents with the
minimally invasive, loco-regional therapies of interventional
oncology has the potential to expand the number of cancer patients
who could benefit. Further research is needed to understand the
potential of these combinations.
SIO and BTG have established a working group to determine how
best to explore the role of interventional oncology alongside
immuno-oncology in the fight against cancer. This group, which
includes interventional radiologists and immuno-oncologists, will
identify unmet clinical needs and the critical areas of science
that require further dedicated research. The working group plans to
publish a white paper to guide research and clinical practice later
this year.
This collaboration also establishes an independent research fund
that will enable SIO to offer grant funding to independent
investigators to address the critical unanswered questions for this
combination therapy. SIO plans to fund collaborative research
ranging from exploratory pilot projects to prospective clinical
trials.
"SIO was founded to provide an optimal and necessary vehicle to
nurture and support interventional oncology as the fourth pillar of
cancer therapy worldwide. This research collaboration with BTG will
help provide the resources necessary to further uncover how
interventional oncology procedures may work synergistically when
combined with another of the most cutting edge oncologic strategies
- immunotherapy," stated S. Nahum
Goldberg, MD, SIO Interventional/Immuno-oncology Working
Group Chair, and Vice-Chair for Research and Head of the
Interventional Oncology Unit, Hadassah Hebrew
University Medical Center in Jerusalem, Israel.
Melanie Lee, Chief Scientific
Officer of BTG, commented "As a leader in interventional oncology
therapies, we believe this is an excellent opportunity to work with
the scientific community and invest in generating new
knowledge. Our portfolio includes embolic beads, radioactive
microspheres, and cryotherapy solutions and this research will
answer important questions about whether these minimally invasive
therapies can expand the benefits of immuno-oncology drugs."
How loco-regional therapies might help
Checkpoint inhibitors turn off signals that can inhibit the
ability of T cells to kill cancer cells, but different tumours
present different immunological challenges with responses also
dependent on factors in the local tumour microenvironment.
Loco-regional therapies, such as cryotherapy, embolisation or
selective internal radiation therapy, de-bulk the tumour, which may
make it easier for the immune system to tackle what remains. There
is also some evidence that loco-regional therapies can also induce
a tumour-specific immune response, releasing tumour antigens, and
can help create an anti-tumour microenvironment. If combined with a
checkpoint inhibitor or other immunotherapy, these effects could
help make these agents more effective in a larger patient
population. As loco-regional therapies are generally well
tolerated, using them in combination is less likely to complicate
the side-effect profile - an important consideration given the
immune-mediated side effects commonly experienced with checkpoint
inhibitors.
About Society of Interventional Oncology (SIO)
SIO serves as the only membership-based organization dedicated
wholly to the emerging field of Interventional Oncology (IO),
working to establish, nurture, and support IO as the fourth pillar
of cancer therapy alongside medical, surgical, and radiation
oncology worldwide. IO therapies, such as embolization and tumor
ablation, combine the expertise of oncology and radiology and use
imaging technology to diagnose and treat localized cancers in ways
that are precisely targeted and minimally or non-invasive. The
society hosts the annual World Conference for Interventional
Oncology (WCIO). For more information, please visit:
www.io-central.org
About BTG
BTG is a global specialist healthcare company bringing to market
innovative products in specialist areas of medicine to better serve
doctors and their patients. We have a portfolio of Interventional
Medicine products to advance the treatment of cancer, severe
emphysema, severe blood clots and varicose veins, and Specialty
Pharmaceuticals that help patients overexposed to certain
medications or toxins. Inspired by patient and physician needs, BTG
is investing to expand its portfolio to address some of today's
most complex healthcare challenges. To learn more about BTG, please
visit: btgplc.com.
For further information contact:
SIO
Amanda Winger O'Kane, Marketing
& Communications
+1-202-367-1164; aokane@io-central.org
BTG
Chris Sampson, Corporate
Communications Director
+44(0)-20-7575-1595; Mobile: +44(0)-7773-251-178
Andy Burrows, VP Corporate &
Investor Relations
+44(0)-20-7575-1741; Mobile: +44(0)-7990-530-605
Stuart Hunt, Investor Relations
Manager
+44(0)-20-7575-1582; Mobile: +44(0)-7815-778-536
Ben Atwell/Simon Conway, FTI Consulting
+44(0)-20-3727-1000