Phase II Clinical Trial Approved & JUNO THERAPEUTICS

Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer Research Profile from ben towne foundation on Vimeo.

Just before Christmas, we received this good news from the Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer Research's Jensen Lab (which the Katie Gerstenberger Endowment supports):

“The FDA’s authorization of our second pediatric leukemia T cell therapy protocol is a milestone for the Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer Research. This trial will allow us to treat patients age 12 months-27 years of age who are in the worst possible situation—relapse after bone marrow transplantation.  We will be able to enroll and treat patients on an accelerated time table with our latest version of the reprogrammed T cell product that was developed in our laboratories here at BTCCCR with the help of our generous donors.  One exciting element of this trial called PLAT-02 is that it is a combined Phase I trial to establish safety that then rolls in to a larger Phase II trial to establish efficacy. 

"We know for many children that we treat, this will be their last chance to beat their leukemia.” - Michael C. Jensen, MD

Dr. Rebecca Gardner (who speaks in the video above) was one of Katie's doctors.

Dr. Pollard on the left, Katie and Dr. Gardner on the right, December 2006

 And there is more good news: the formation of "a new biotechnology company focused on bringing forward novel immunotherapies for cancer," called Juno Therapeutics. This is a joint venture of Seattle Children's Research Institute (of which the BTCCCR is part), Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Memorial Sloan-Kettering. You can visit their website to learn more: junotherapeutics.com

The site contains press releases with fabulous news of over $145 million in venture capital committed to supporting this research. You can access the press releases here:

• Leading Cancer Research Centers Team Up to Launch Biotech Startup Focused on Cancer Immunotherapy
• Juno Announces New Investments, Leadership Appointments

Two scientists who we know personally (and admire deeply), Kendall Mohler, Ph.D. and Dr. Michael Jensen, are key  members of the Juno team. I am thrilled to know that the torch is being carried by such compassionate, brilliant, talented, accomplished scientists. 

The potential of this venture is unlimited. It is what I dreamed might be possible in the first dark months after Katie's passing. To see it happening, right here in Seattle, is truly a dream-come-true, and an answer to prayers.

HOPE is HERE, NOW, Because of YOU

Thank you.

You have made this miracle possible with your donations to the Katie Gerstenberger Endowment, through our support of the Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer Research.

Katie would be happy and proud that her memory inspired you to give to her endowment, and even more delighted that your support has brought HOPE, HERE and NOW, for cancer patients. 

This means we are closer to an end to suffering from treatments, damaging side effects and more, Because of Katie, 

and because of you.

THANK YOU 

for helping to make this dream come true!

THANKS and HOPE

Our generous family and friends, we

thank you.

The principal balance of the

Katie Gerstenberger

Endowment for Cancer Research

as of August, 2010 is

$121,209.

We will use the income from this principal to continue to fund solid tumor research, per Katie's wishes. The focus of our funding will now be the work of Dr. Mike Jensen, who recently moved to the Seattle Children's Hospital Center for Childhood Cancer from the City of Hope in L.A.

Dr. Jensen is pioneering the use of the body's own immune system to treat cancer. He has succeeded in "teaching" immune system cells to recognize cancer cells, and to destroy them. You can see and hear Dr. Jensen explaining how it works in

this brief video.

Please take a few moments to watch, and be filled with HOPE.

It is happening - our hopes, our prayers, are on the way to being answered. Thanks be to God!