Bristol Myers Squibb and Institute Curie partner to improve molecular and immunological cancer characterization in young patients
Bristol Myers Squibb, a world leader in innovative cancer treatments, and Institute Curie, Paris, France, a leading player in the fight against cancer, announce a supporting partnership for MICCHADO, a comprehensive clinical study for young patients with cancer.
The MICCHADO study (Molecular and Immunological Characterisation of high risk CHildhood Cancer At DiagnOsis, treatment and follow-up) aims to improve the understanding of oncogenesis and tumor progression mechanisms of cancer pathologies based on accurate molecular and immunological characterization of the tumor at diagnosis, during treatment and follow-up in children, adolescents and young adults with high risk cancer.
Dr Gudrun Schleiermacher, Pediatric Oncologist and Principal Investigator of the study says:
“MICCHADO is a very ambitious study that will allow the development of appropriate therapeutic management in case of inefficiency or tumor-escape from standard treatments. The monitoring of biomarkers such as circulating tumor DNA, and the characterization of the immunological profile, during the treatment and in the follow-up of the patients, and their correlation with the fate of the pathology, will allow the understanding of the mechanisms of progression or resistance to standard treatments. This evaluation during patient follow-up has never been performed in pediatrics, and is a very innovative feature of this study. Taking into account all results arising from MICCHADO, we will be able to consider specific frontline treatments for future patients where a correlation between prognostic and predictive biomarkers and an unfavorable evolution has been demonstrated.”
The national study MICCHADO gathers all 30 centers of SFCE (Société Française des Cancers de l’Enfant) and expects to recruit over 600 patients with high risk tumors. All regulatory documents and protocols has been approved by the authorities in December 2017, and patient’s recruitment will be starting shortly.
Dr. Aurélie Lécuyer, Pediatric Immunology-Oncology Medical Associate Director at Bristol-Myers Squibb , said:
“Institut Curie and its pediatric oncology center SIREDO are one of the most prestigious cancer centers in Europe and we are excited to support this national study MICCHADO. Bristol-Myers Squibb is is highly committed in the field of pediatric cancers and we believe that this study is innovative and essential to overcome drug resistance and treatment failures in young patients.”
Amaury Martin, Head of Institut Curie Technology Transfer and Industrial Partnerships Office and Director of the Institut Carnot Curie Cancer said:
"Institut Curie a leading Oncology R&D center in France has formalized an alliance with Bristol-Myers Squibb in 2016 as part of the company’s Global Expert Center Initiative (GECI). Since then, several clinical, translational and pre-clinical projects have been conjointly initiated at Institut Curie. The support of this global biopharmaceutical company to the MICCHADO study marks a new step in the collaboration between Institut Curie and Bristol-Myers Squibb. Oncopediatrics has been identified as a major axis of the Institut Curie MC21 strategic plan. The oncology center SIREDO is one of the top pediatric centers in Europe for treatment and inclusion of patients in clinical trials. The innovative study MICCHADO benefits from a unique fundamental, translational and clinical research ecosystem with state-of-the-art teams. This study will fully benefit young cancer patients and its usefulness is undeniable in the course of care management to overcome drug resistance."
