The Window-of-Opportunity (WOO) Network is a collaboration among Ontario's doctors and scientists to conduct clinical trials in newly-diagnosed cancer patients before they have surgery with an initial focus on understanding how cancer drugs can impact the immune system.
There is often a waiting period of two to six weeks between when a patient first receives a cancer diagnosis and their scheduled surgery. This period provides a unique opportunity to study tumours before they are treated, allowing scientists to explore new ways to identify cancer, measure how cancer cells respond to treatment, and understand how therapies work. WOO Network trials include drugs or treatments that already have been tested in other clinical trials or are already approved by Health Canada.
The SuPERIOR trial is a WOO trial and it is designed for cohort of patients patients diagnosed with newly-diagnosed cancer patients with stage two or three non-small cell lung cancer.
The patients who are enrolled in this trial will received combination of Non-ablative oligofractionated radiation (NORT) which is a low dose of radiation and one dose of Durvalumab, an immunotherapy drug before their surgery.

Start Date28 Sep 2024

Sponsor / Collaborator

University Health Network

[+1]

NCT05967884

/ Not yet recruitingPhase 2IIT

A Randomized Phase II Window of Opportunity Clinical Trial of IL-4 +/- PD-1 Inhibition in Early-stage ER+ HER2- Breast Cancer

This proposal is for a Window of Opportunity (WOO) clinical trial using a novel combination of two Health Canada approved agents, cemiplimab (Libtayo) and dupilumab (Dupixent), for off label use in early-stage estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer.

Start Date04 Aug 2023

Sponsor / Collaborator

Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

[+1]

NCT05927298

/ RecruitingNot ApplicableIIT

Province of Ontario Strategy for Personalized Management of Pancreatic Cancer Trial

This is a prospective, multi-centre, translational and observational study. Two cohorts of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) are eligible to enroll 1) Upfront resectable PDAC 2) Advanced (unresectable PDAC or metastatic). Patients will have tissue either at resection or from a biopsy at enrolment processed for whole genome sequencing, RNA sequencing and for establishment of patient derived organoids (PDOs). Background epidemiological history and outcome data will be prospectively annotated. Serial blood and stool samples will be collected for exploratory analyses. All electronic medical record information will also be collected. Data will be used to determine if an integrated correlative analysis of whole genome sequencing/RNAsequencing (WGS/RNAseq) and PDOs in the enrolled population will increase the number of patients receiving a precision-matched treatment in Ontario

Start Date06 Mar 2023

Sponsor / Collaborator

University Health Network

[+3]

100 Clinical Results associated with Ontario Institute for Cancer Research

0 Patents (Medical) associated with Ontario Institute for Cancer Research

4,530

Literatures (Medical) associated with Ontario Institute for Cancer Research

17 Feb 2025·CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH

HMGA2 Expression Predicts Subtype, Survival, and Treatment Outcome in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Article

Author: Chiorean, Elena Gabriela ; Jang, Gun Ho ; Crawford, Howard C. ; Ruzinova, Marianna B. ; Haraguchi, Miki ; Safyan, Rachael A. ; Walsh, Thomas ; Yamamoto, Naomi ; Steele, Nina G. ; Notta, Faiyaz ; Kang, Liang-I. ; Vij, Kiran R. ; Li, Li ; Kugel, Sita ; Loveless, Ian ; Samraj, Annie N. ; Hingorani, Sunil R. ; Dobersch, Stephanie ; DeNardo, David G. ; Bolton, Nathan M. ; Fields, Ryan C. ; Mudd, Jacqueline L.

Abstract:

Purpose::

The purpose of this study was to establish HMGA2 as a marker of basal-like disease in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and explore its use as a biomarker for prognosis and treatment resistance.

Experimental Design::

We identified high-mobility group A2 (HMGA2) protein expression in basal PDAC cells in a single-cell RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) atlas of 172 patient samples. We then analyzed HMGA2 expression, along with expression of the classic marker GATA-binding factor 6 (GATA6), in a cohort of 580 PDAC samples with multiplex IHC. We further supplemented these data with an additional 30 diverse patient samples and multiple independent single-cell RNA-seq databases.

Results::

We found that expression of HMGA2, but not previously described basal markers cytokeratins 5 or 17, predicted overall survival in our cohort. Combining HMGA2 and GATA6 statuses allowed for the identification of two key study groups: an HMGA2+/GATA6− cohort with worse survival, low tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells, increased FAP+ fibroblasts, and poorer response to gemcitabine-based chemotherapies (n = 94, median survival = 11.2 months after surgery) and an HMGA2−/GATA6+ cohort with improved survival, increased CD8+ T-cell infiltrate, decreased FAP+ fibroblasts, and improved survival with gemcitabine-based chemotherapy (n = 198, median survival = 21.7 months after surgery). HMGA2 was also prognostic for overall survival in RNA-seq from an independent cohort.

Conclusions::

IHC stratification of primary tumors by HMGA2 and GATA6 statuses in pancreatic cancer is associated with differential outcomes, survival following chemotherapy, and tumor microenvironments. As a nuclear marker for basal disease, HMGA2 complements GATA6 to identify disease subtypes in PDAC.

13 Feb 2025·Nature

Gliomagenesis mimics an injury response orchestrated by neural crest-like cells

Article

Author: Stein, Lincoln D ; Hamed, Akram A ; Dirks, Peter B ; Hua, Kui ; Simons, Benjamin D ; Trinh, Quang M ; Marioni, John C

Glioblastoma is an incurable brain malignancy. By the time of clinical diagnosis, these tumours exhibit a degree of genetic and cellular heterogeneity that provides few clues to the mechanisms that initiate and drive gliomagenesis^1,2. Here, to explore the early steps in gliomagenesis, we utilized conditional gene deletion and lineage tracing in tumour mouse models, coupled with serial magnetic resonance imaging, to initiate and then closely track tumour formation. We isolated labelled and unlabelled cells at multiple stages-before the first visible abnormality, at the time of the first visible lesion, and then through the stages of tumour growth-and subjected cells of each stage to single-cell profiling. We identify a malignant cell state with a neural crest-like gene expression signature that is highly abundant in the early stages, but relatively diminished in the late stage of tumour growth. Genomic analysis based on the presence of copy number alterations suggests that these neural crest-like states exist as part of a heterogeneous clonal hierarchy that evolves with tumour growth. By exploring the injury response in wounded normal mouse brains, we identify cells with a similar signature that emerge following injury and then disappear over time, suggesting that activation of an injury response program occurs during tumorigenesis. Indeed, our experiments reveal a non-malignant injury-like microenvironment that is initiated in the brain following oncogene activation in cerebral precursor cells. Collectively, our findings provide insight into the early stages of glioblastoma, identifying a unique cell state and an injury response program tied to early tumour formation. These findings have implications for glioblastoma therapies and raise new possibilities for early diagnosis and prevention of disease.

06 Feb 2025·CANCER EPIDEMIOLOGY BIOMARKERS & PREVENTION

Biomarkers of Exposure to Nicotine and Selected Toxicants in Individuals Who Use Alternative Tobacco Products Sold in Japan and Canada from 2018 to 2019

Article

Author: Agar, Thomas ; Cummings, K. Michael ; Miller, Connor R. ; Fong, Geoffrey T. ; Goniewicz, Maciej L. ; Leigh, Noel J. ; O’Connor, Richard J. ; Schneller-Najm, Liane M. ; Quah, Anne CK.

Abstract:

Background::

Comparisons of nicotine and toxicant exposures between people who use different alternative tobacco products remain underexplored.

Methods::

This cross-sectional, multicountry study analyzed urinary metabolites of nicotine, tobacco-specific nitrosamines [4-methylnitrosamino-1-3-pyridyl-1-butanone (NNK)], and volatile organic compounds (acrolein, acrylamide, and acrylonitrile) among established users (n = 550) in Japan and Canada. Participants exclusively or concurrently used nicotine vaping products (NVP; Canada only), heated tobacco products (HTP; Japan only), and combustible cigarettes (CC; Japan and Canada) or abstained (Japan and Canada).

Results::

All product groups showed substantial nicotine exposure. Both HTPs and NVPs exposed exclusive users to lower toxicant levels than exclusive CC use. Canadian participants who exclusively used NVPs exhibited lower NNK and acrolein exposure but higher acrylamide exposure than Japanese participants who exclusively used HTPs. Concurrent use of CCs alongside alternative products exposed users to higher toxicant levels compared with exclusive use of either alternative product.

Conclusions::

Exclusive use of alternative tobacco products results in significant nicotine exposure but substantially lower toxicant exposure compared with exclusive CC use. People who use HTPs in Japan may experience higher exposure to nicotine and certain toxicants (NNK and acrolein) than people who use NVPs in Canada. Concurrent use results suggest that partially substituting CCs with alternative products may reduce toxicant exposure but to a lesser extent than completely transitioning to alternative products.

Impact::

Exposure patterns between two popular alternative tobacco products differ. The overall toxicant exposure from these products is lower than from CCs, providing critical data for regulatory decisions and public health considerations.

News (Medical) associated with Ontario Institute for Cancer Research

06 Mar 2025

·www.prnewswire.com

FACIT and OBIO® announce inaugural WeSEED cohort of women-led start-ups in joint seed capital and commercialization program

Program supports women entrepreneurs in life science who are driving the advancement of innovations and healthcare TORONTO, March 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - Ahead of International Women's Day, FACIT and OBIO® are pleased to announce the first cohort of women-led companies to receive investment and commercialization resources from the FACIT and OBIO® joint Women's Synergistic Entrepreneurship and Economic Development (WeSEED) program. A.I. VALI Inc., Genetics Adviser Inc., AiimSense Inc., Asima Health Inc., and Cura Therapeutics Inc. represent promising start-ups with differentiated solutions to improve healthcare access, patient impact and economic benefits for Ontario. Building on FACIT and OBIO's successes in independently backing women entrepreneurs, the WeSEED program was launched to leverage the combined complementary capital, business expertise and resources of the organizations. The resulting synergies provide a continuum of seamless support and lower barriers faced by women STEM leaders in accessing business training, advisory resources, networks and venture funding. Start-up A.I. VALI is commercializing software to streamline and improve endoscopy workflow in clinics and hospitals, with two market-ready products and a Canadian distribution agreement. Genetics Adviser is a digital health company transforming the genetic testing journey, offering a customizable, evidence-based platform to help scale the delivery of precision genomic medicine. With global collaborations and licensing agreements, Genetics Adviser is on track to expand international adoption of its leading clinical solutions. Both companies are recipients of FACIT's Compass Rose Oncology Fund investments under the WeSEED program, with A.I. VALI having advanced from OBIO's WiHI Seed Program. AiimSense is a medical device start-up developing a portable brain imaging technologies for stroke, traumatic brain injury and brain tumor detection. Early-stage cancer diagnostic start-up Asima Health is developing a pan-genomic approach to genetic cancer testing that is also accessible at the community level. Cura Therapeutics is developing cross-functional immunotherapy platforms capable of addressing multiple diseases mechanisms while reducing toxicity, with a lead cytokine fusion protein that activates and synchronizes major immune system mechanisms to destroy cancer cells. Through OBIO's WiHI initiative, as part of the WeSEED program, these women-led companies are recipients of dynamic entrepreneurship training and development resources to help better position them attract additional financing partners. All women-led companies in the WeSEED program benefit from both FACIT and OBIO's commercialization resources. OBIO® and FACIT have established track records co-investing and working closely with different commercialization groups locally and globally, increasing value for Ontario life sciences intellectual property and driving economic impact. The WeSEED program aligns with government priorities to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem for women-led businesses. While diverse and independent seed stage programs and investors are key to addressing the unique needs of early-stage life sciences entrepreneurs, partnerships on targeted initiatives drives innovation and can make a difference for patients with cancer. Quotes: Dr. Maura Campbell, President of OBIO® – "We are delighted to announce the inaugural WeSEED cohort in partnership with FACIT. This exciting group of women-led companies is poised to transform the oncology landscape, and we look forward to supporting their commercialization journey with our best-in-class programming." Dr. Connie Chen, Senior Director of Strategy and Corporate Development, FACIT – "This fantastic inaugural cohort already demonstrates the benefits of leveraging the strengths of novel and inclusive public-private partnerships. Helping position and propel women-founded start-ups and healthcare innovation in Ontario to advance homegrown IP and secure financing was the driver for FACIT and OBIO® to partner on the WeSEED program. It is very rewarding to see our organizations elevate the equity, representation, and positioning of women STEM leaders." About OBIO® Founded in 2009, OBIO® is a not-for-profit, membership-based organization engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to address the needs of the next generation of companies developing innovative human health products. OBIO® supports early-stage and venture-backed life sciences and health tech companies enabling them to raise capital, hire and train industry-ready talent, facilitate the commercialization and market adoption of their technologies in health systems, and access infrastructure. OBIO® advances its mission through collaborative partnerships with industry, the investment community, academia, the healthcare system and government. For more information, please visit and follow OBIO® on LinkedIn and X. About FACIT FACIT is an award-winning commercialization venture firm that builds companies with entrepreneurs to accelerate oncology innovation, with a portfolio that has attracted more than $1.6 billion in investment to Ontario. Blending industry experience, capital and the unsurpassed clinician-scientist network of its strategic partner the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR), FACIT capitalizes on the province's investment in research and healthcare to the benefit of the local economy and patients worldwide. Cancer Breakthroughs. Realized. facit.ca. SOURCE FACIT Inc. WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED

23 May 2024

·www.biospace.com

Providence and Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR) partnering to discover and develop mRNA therapeutics

CALGARY, AB and TORONTO, May 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Providence Therapeutic Holdings Inc. ("Providence"), a messenger RNA (mRNA) and lipid nanoparticle platform company engaged in the development of vaccines and therapeutics, and the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR), Ontario's largest publicly funded cancer research institute delivering real-world solutions to people affected by cancer, today announced the signing of a collaboration agreement for mRNA drug discovery and development. This is a unique collaboration that combines OICR's expertise in cancer genomics and translational drug discovery with Providence's next generation of mRNA and LNP technology to accelerate preclinical drug development and launch new clinical initiatives that answer key questions in clinical oncology. "OICR and Providence share a common vision of advancing research in cancer prevention and treatment in Ontario, across Canada, and globally. We look forward to leveraging Providence's next generation mRNA and LNP platform technology and drug development expertise alongside the experts at OICR to improve the lives of people battling cancer," said Brad Sorenson, CEO and Founder of Providence Therapeutics. "Partnering with an mRNA industry leader like Providence will help OICR harness our strengths in bioinformatics, genomics and immunology to generate new and exciting ways to prevent and treat cancer," says Dr. Laszlo Radvanyi, President and Scientific Director of OICR. "I am especially excited for the impact this partnership will have for people affected by cancer as well as the potential economic value it can bring in helping drive Canada's leadership in this rapidly growing field." OICR and Providence's partnership will help advance modern drug development in Canada and create new clinical initiatives that will touch the lives of people across the country. As product development and manufacturing will be done domestically, Canadians will be first in line to participate in new clinical oncology programs and access new treatments. All programs that emerge from this strategic partnership will result in guaranteed country-of-origin rights to Canada that will ensure Canadians will have affordable access to any medicines created. About Providence Therapeutics Providence Therapeutics has developed an mRNA medicines platform and has established itself as a competitive player within the mRNA scene for the last 10 years. Consisting of a clinically proven mRNA platform and a next-generation lipid-nanoparticle (LNP) platform, the company developed to enhance immune responses to cancers and infectious diseases. Along with this, Providence also has manufacturing and regulatory platforms that are capable of producing drugs for personalized vaccines up to pandemic scale amounts. Providence has a robust pipeline consisting of preclinical and clinical oncology, infectious diseases, and animal health programs. These programs have been developed internally and in collaboration with academic and industry partners that specialize in many different fields. For more information, please visit About Ontario Institute for Cancer Research OICR is funded by the Government of Ontario. As the province's cancer research institute, we take on the biggest challenges in cancer research and deliver real-world solutions to find cancer earlier and treat it more effectively. We are committed to helping people living with cancer, as well as future generations, live longer and healthier lives. For more information visit . View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Providence Therapeutics

VaccinemRNAsiRNA

06 May 2024

·www.prnewswire.com

Cutting-edge radiosurgery tech for brain tumours wins 2024 Falcons' Fortunes

FACIT's pitch competition continues to build a culture of entrepreneurship in Ontario to benefit people living with cancer TORONTO, May 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - At the sold-out Falcons' Fortunes pitch competition hosted by FACIT, Dr. Hatim Fakir delivered the winning pitch as selected by the panel of judges for the $100,000 Ernsting Entrepreneurship Award. The recognition aligns well with the start of Brain Tumour Awareness for the month of May. Developed at London Health Sciences Centre, Dr. Fakir's RadioSphere is a patient-centred technology to revolutionize existing gamma knife radiotherapy procedures by providing the most precise tumour localization capabilities. Surgeons armed with more refined 3-D localization information can better pinpoint challenging tumours, including those arising from multi-focal metastases, and eliminate them without affecting healthy adjacent tissue. The award and commercialization support from FACIT is an important step to advancing a game-changing technology that will result in better comfort and care for patients. Emceed by Brian Bloom, Chairman & CEO of Bloom Burton & Co., the Falcons' Fortunes event showcased six of Ontario's latest and compelling innovative cancer solutions being developed by entrepreneurial scientists as they competed for the best pitch award. FACIT's Prospects Oncology Fund sponsors the award, which is a critical source of pre-seed capital for early-stage, proof-of-concept projects with commercial potential. Serial entrepreneur and patient advocate Rachel Bartholomew, CEO and Founder of Hyivy Health, also delivered an inspirational keynote address highlighting her own journey to create a start-up to address a need that was identified during her recent fight with cervical cancer. For entrepreneurs launching their early-stage ventures at Falcons' Fortunes and others starting this path, FACIT's funds strategically target the seed capital gap and help propel early-stage ventures across the most critical hurdle. With an Ontario First mandate, FACIT's successful commercialization venture model has helped start-ups advance along the challenging innovation pathway for over a decade. Many Falcons' Fortunes participants who pitch their innovations at the annual event go on to receive FACIT's seed capital and additional supports from its network. "All six finalists are winners, as their entrepreneurial spirit and desire to translate discoveries into the marketplace are important for building Ontario's biotech industry as well as in the battle against cancer, remarked Dr. David O'Neill, President of FACIT. "We see a future where patients living with cancer benefit from homegrown science and innovations, which will build prosperity and fund future cancer research in the province." "There are not many sources of early seed capital for Ontario life sciences innovations and availability of follow-on financing sources are even more scarce," said Rachel Bartholomew. "FACIT helps to fill this gap, and ensuring this capital is available for Ontario entrepreneurs is critical to advance translation so innovations can reach patients sooner." About FACIT FACIT is an award-winning commercialization venture firm that builds companies with entrepreneurs to accelerate oncology innovation, with a portfolio that has attracted more than $1.6 billion in investment to Ontario. Blending industry experience, capital and the unsurpassed clinician-scientist network of its strategic partner the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR), FACIT capitalizes on the province's investment in research and healthcare to the benefit of the local economy and patients worldwide. Cancer Breakthroughs. Realized. facit.ca SOURCE FACIT Inc.

100 Deals associated with Ontario Institute for Cancer Research

100 Translational Medicine associated with Ontario Institute for Cancer Research

Corporation Tree

Boost your research with our corporation tree data.

view full example data

Pipeline

Pipeline Snapshot as of 12 Mar 2025

The statistics for drugs in the Pipeline is the current organization and its subsidiaries are counted as organizations,Early Phase 1 is incorporated into Phase 1, Phase 1/2 is incorporated into phase 2, and phase 2/3 is incorporated into phase 3

Preclinical

Other

Current Projects

Drug(Targets)	Indications	Global Highest Phase

Pmd-PPZ-C9-BI ( BRAF V600E )	BRAF V600E Mutation-Positive Melanoma More	Preclinical
Pmd-PEG5-PEG5-Dab#1 ( BRAF V600E )	BRAF V600E Mutation-Positive Melanoma More	Preclinical
M4K-2286 ( ALK2 )	Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma More	Preclinical
Len(C)PEG4-BI ( BRAF V600E )	BRAF V600E Mutation-Positive Melanoma More	Preclinical
Pmd-PEG1-Trz-PEG2-BI ( BRAF V600E )	BRAF V600E Mutation-Positive Melanoma More	Preclinical

Deal

Boost your decision using our deal data.

view full example data

Translational Medicine

Boost your research with our translational medicine data.

view full example data

Profit

Explore the financial positions of over 360K organizations with Synapse.

view full example data

Grant & Funding(NIH)

Access more than 2 million grant and funding information to elevate your research journey.

view full example data

Investment

Gain insights on the latest company investments from start-ups to established corporations.

view full example data

Financing

Unearth financing trends to validate and advance investment opportunities.

view full example data

Chat with Hiro

Get started for free today!

Accelerate Strategic R&D decision making with Synapse, PatSnap’s AI-powered Connected Innovation Intelligence Platform Built for Life Sciences Professionals.

Start your data trial now!

Synapse data is also accessible to external entities via APIs or data packages. Empower better decisions with the latest in pharmaceutical intelligence.

Bio

Bio Sequences Search & Analysis

Chemical

Chemical Structures Search & Analysis