The Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation, in partnership with the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, has awarded a $50 million grant to establish a new translational science program focusing on early-phase, pharmacodynamic- and pharmacokinetic-driven clinical trials for aggressive brain tumors.
Catherine Ivy
Catherine Ivy, President of the Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation, said the Center’s ultimate goal is to cure brain cancer. “The more we discover, the more we can do to help patients and their families. Our Foundation has partnered with renowned medical and research programs throughout the United States and even internationally,” she said. “After years of assessment, we have decided to invest in the Ivy Brain Tumor Center at Barrow.” Ivy’s husband, Ben, died of glioblastoma in 2005, and the foundation has invested millions into researching gliomas; it is the largest nongovernmental funding agency for brain tumor research in the world.
Nader Sanai, MD
Within the Ivy Brain Tumor Center, combined-agent phase 0 clinical trials will be introduced for a variety of brain tumor histologies, with the intent to complete 30 new drug trials in the next 10 years. “Many of the drugs we use for patients with brain tumors cannot get into the brain or, if they do, are doing so in an inactive form,” noted Nader Sanai, MD, Director of The Ivy Brain Tumor Center.
“It takes years to assemble an initiative of this size,” continued Dr. Sanai. “This is a ground-up effort, including specialized facilities, personnel recruitment, and trials infrastructure. We have a lot of work ahead of us.” ■
