2012 Free to Breathe Young Investigator Research Grant
Alexander Drilon, MD
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Research Project:
New Treatment for Advanced NSCLC
Summary:
Dr. Drilon’s phase II clinical trial is the first of its kind to determine whether certain patients with advanced NSCLC will benefit from a promising new drug, called BMS-93655. This drug is an immune system booster; instead of attacking tumors directly, it helps the body’s own immune system find and kill cancer cells. Because this drug doesn’t work for all patients, Dr. Drilon’s research will attempt to determine whether biomarkers can be used to predict who might benefit from this treatment. Advanced NSCLC is currently an incurable disease, so this research has the potential to open promising new treatment opportunities for those who desperately need them.