Blood Cancer Foundations Award $2.25 million for 'Research United to CURE Follicular Lymphoma'

RYE BROOK, N.Y., Aug. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Follicular Lymphoma Foundation (FLF), The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and the Institute for Follicular Lymphoma Innovation (IFLI), through their newly expanded alliance "Research United to Cure FL," are thrilled to announce awards totalling $2.25 million for three promising research projects for follicular lymphoma (FL):

Project 1: Exploiting tumor-immune dynamics to inform curative combination therapy for follicular lymphoma
Mark Murakami, MD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute researchers are analyzing lymphoma cells and their microenvironment (the ecosystem surrounding the cells) from patients undergoing treatment with bispecific antibodies, which are powerful immune-based therapies, across multiple clinical trials. Their goal is to identify how some lymphoma cells evade the immune system and develop resistance. Understanding these resistance mechanisms may expose vulnerabilities within the lymphoma cells that can be exploited by novel combination treatments, leading to improved, and potentially curative, approaches for patients with FL.

Project 2: Next-gen targeted therapy in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) and transformed follicular lymphoma (tFL) 
Steven Park, MD, Atrium Wake Forest Levine Cancer
Dr. Park's team has developed an innovative strategy to improve specificity of drugs for treatment of blood cancer. Most drugs aim to target cancer-specific processes but enter other cells causing "off-target" side effects. The Wake Forest team's approach to significantly improve drugs' cancer selectivity involves two-steps: use of high-precision pre-targeted nanoparticles designed to deliver drugs only to the cancer, and design of specific protein-degrading chimeric molecules (PROTACs) that target a cancer-specific protein. They will use mantle cell lymphoma and follicular lymphoma as their test models, if successful, this cutting-edge technique has the potential to revolutionize cancer treatment by enhancing drug potency and precision, offering hope for improved outcomes in patients with challenging forms of lymphoma.

Project 3: Bispecific antibody-based frontline therapy for follicular lymphoma 
Philippe Armand, MD, PhD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute: 
With this award, Dr. Armand and team are clinically investigating the efficacy of a novel form of immunotherapy, a new bispecific antibody, as an initial (first-line) treatment for FL patients. The investigators aim to identify biomarkers to predict how patients will respond to and tolerate bispecific antibody treatment in the absence of first-line chemotherapy. Given the slow-growing nature of most cases of FL at diagnosis, developing more personalized and optimized first-line treatments without the toxic side effects of chemotherapy would be of great benefit for FL patients.

About "Research United to CURE Follicular Lymphoma"

Follicular lymphoma, the most common slow-growing form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, remains a challenging disease to cure and it becomes more difficult to treat with each relapse. Research United to CURE Follicular Lymphoma combines the shared mission and efforts of three leading blood cancer foundations to support and drive scientific innovation and accelerate clinical trials in FL, bringing more effective therapies and, ultimately, a cure for FL closer to reality.

Dr. Mitchell Smith, Chief Medical Officer of the FLF said:

"Building on our initial CURE-FL Awards by partnering with LLS, and now the addition of the Institute for Follicular Lymphoma Innovation to that partnership, marks a significant milestone in our ongoing mission to eradicate follicular lymphoma. By uniting our expertise and resources, we can enhance our research efforts and accelerate the development of new treatments. This powerful alliance brings us one step closer to finding a cure."

Dr. Lee Greenberger, Chief Scientific Officer of LLS added:

"We are incredibly excited about the innovative projects we've funded. Each of these groundbreaking research initiatives holds immense potential to transform the treatment landscape for follicular lymphoma. From understanding resistance mechanisms in follicular lymphoma to developing next-generation targeted therapies, these projects bring us closer to a cure."

Dr. Michel Azoulay, Chief Medical Officer of the IFLI concurred:

"We are thrilled to unite with FLF and LLS to CURE-FL and are confident that this partnership will significantly accelerate innovative research. Our aim is to provide catalytic capital to develop new technology approaches and a Path to a Cure for patients suffering from follicular lymphoma."

About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society® (LLS) is the global leader in the fight against blood cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world, provides free information and support services, and is the voice for all blood cancer patients seeking access to quality, affordable, coordinated care.

Founded in 1949 and headquartered in Rye Brook, NY, LLS has regions throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more, visit www.LLS.org. Patients should contact the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET.

For additional information, visit lls.org/lls-newsnetwork. Follow us on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok.

About The Follicular Lymphoma Foundation

Singularly dedicated to follicular lymphoma, the FLF spearheads innovative research initiatives, provides support for patients and their families, and raises critical awareness about FL. Patients are at the heart of everything that they do. Their targeted focus and rapid response capabilities ensure that the latest advancements are quickly translated into real-world benefits for those affected by this challenging disease. For further information, visit theflf.org/news. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

About The Institute for Follicular Lymphoma Innovation

The Institute for Follicular Lymphoma Innovation (IFLI) is a global, non-profit, private foundation dedicated to accelerating the development of innovative treatment options for patients with follicular lymphoma. IFLI supports cutting-edge research and technology to lead to the development and commercialization of novel therapeutics and/or biomarkers for the treatment of follicular lymphoma (FL), and to understand the biology of FL. The foundation deploys its budget across grants, project-based partnerships, and venture philanthropy investments to achieve its innovation goals. IFLI promotes collaboration and works to enable the exchange of knowledge and expertise among researchers and institutions advancing FL research. Learn more at i-fli.org and follow us on LinkedIn

Note to editors:

About the Follicular Lymphoma Foundation

The Follicular Lymphoma Foundation (FLF) is on a global mission to cure follicular lymphoma (FL). With patients at the heart of everything they do, they are leading the way in FL research and treatment to ultimately find a cure and fast. FL is a type of blood cancer that affects the lymph nodes and is the second most common Non-Hodkin Lymphoma.

The FLF was launched in the summer of 2019 by their founder, Lady Nicola Mendelsohn, who was diagnosed with FL in November 2016 and who recognised the lack of focus on FL-specific research. Nicola was also inspired by the 'Living with Follicular Lymphoma' Facebook group and worked closely with the group's founder to grow its community to over 11,000 members globally. Through collaborative efforts with patients and global lymphoma experts, the FLF combine compassion with cutting-edge research to revolutionise treatment and improve outcomes for over one million patients worldwide.

For further information, visit theflf.org/news. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society® (LLS) is the global leader in the fight against blood cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world, provides free information and support services, and is the voice for all blood cancer patients seeking access to quality, affordable, coordinated care.

Founded in 1949 and headquartered in Rye Brook, NY, LLS has regions throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more, visit www.LLS.org. Patients should contact the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET.

For additional information, visit lls.org/lls-newsnetwork. Follow us on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok. 

About The Institute for Follicular Lymphoma Innovation

The Institute for Follicular Lymphoma Innovation (IFLI) is a global, non-profit, private foundation dedicated to accelerating the development of innovative treatment options for patients with follicular lymphoma. IFLI supports cutting-edge research and technology to lead to the development and commercialization of novel therapeutics and/or biomarkers for the treatment of follicular lymphoma (FL), and to understand the biology of FL. The foundation deploys its budget across grants, project-based partnerships, and venture philanthropy investments to achieve its innovation goals. IFLI promotes collaboration and works to enable the exchange of knowledge and expertise among researchers and institutions advancing FL research. Learn more at i-fli.org and follow us on LinkedIn

For Media Requests:
LLS — Ryan McDonald, Ryan.McDonald@lls.org
FLF – Julie Dodds, julie@theflf.org
IFLI — Beth Fordham-Meier, beth@i-fli.org 

SOURCE The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society