Research could lead to next-generation immunotherapy for head and neck cancer patients, and may have broad impact on treatments for other types of cancer

It’s estimated that more than 71,000 people will be diagnosed with head and neck cancer in the United States this year. Unfortunately, approximately 16,000 Americans will die from the disease in 2024. While immunotherapies have revolutionized treatment for various types of cancers, most head and neck cancer patients have seen little benefit, with clinical responses often lacking durability. This leaves these patients with limited options and often a poor prognosis.

In 2021, Curebound, a philanthropic organization that invests in innovative cancer research, saw the need to study how leveraging new immunotherapies could benefit head and neck cancer patients and awarded a $200,000 grant to support the work of University of California San Diego School of Medicine researchers Drs. J. Silvio Gutkind, Joseph Califano, and Ezra Cohen. The research team’s goal was to investigate if initiating immunotherapy treatments before surgery, when the lymph nodes are still intact, may offer a next-generation treatment for head and neck cancer patients.

Three years later, the UC San Diego research team has advanced the understanding of immunotherapy resistance in head and neck cancers, and has been published in Cancer Cell and Nature Communications, received an additional $9.6 million in follow-on funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and launched a multi-location clinical trial at Portland Providence Medical Center and UC San Diego.

Key research findings include:

• Preserving lymph nodes during treatment initiation helps the body's immune system fight head and neck cancer more effectively.
• Targeting a specific protein called HER3 that can make immunotherapy work better in treating head and neck cancer.
• Metformin might help prevent oral cancer. Findings show it boosts the immune system's ability to detect and destroy cells that could turn into cancer.

“The swift success demonstrated by this incredible team in such a short time period is truly incredible. We are proud of Doctors Califano, Cohen, and Gutkind, who have leveraged Curebound funding to advance the field of research, attract significant follow on funding to expand the projects, and translate the findings to patients in clinic. This impact is the reason Curebound exists,” said Curebound CEO Anne Marbarger. “The clinical collaboration across Portland Providence Medical Center and UC San Diego exemplifies how local investments can foster important collaborations that benefit patients across the country.”

From the Lab to Clinical Trial

Aligning with Curebound's goal of rapidly translating therapies to clinical trials, Dr. Califano, alongside Dr. R Bryan Bell at Portland Providence Medical Central, leveraged Curebound’s and NIH’s grants to initiate a multi-location clinical trial. The trial aims to enroll 28 patients to test the efficacy of using immunotherapy and radiation prior to surgery for Stage III and IVA HPV-negative HNSCC, with sites at UC San Diego Health and Portland Providence Medical Center. If successful, this has potential to become a therapeutic option for patients with advanced stages of head and neck cancer and may apply to other prevalent cancer types in which immunotherapy has not yet provided a clinical benefit.

“This research could never have been initiated without Curebound’s investment in our work. We are grateful to Curebound’s scientific advisory board for thoroughly assessing our study and seeing the promise in it,” says Dr. Gutkind. “Our work could significantly impact head and neck cancer therapies, as well as other cancer treatments. The hope is that our discoveries will translate to effective patient therapies quickly.”

About Curebound

Curebound is a philanthropic organization that invests in cancer research with the power to save lives. Through collaborative grants, corporate partnerships, and strategic investments, Curebound’s aim is to significantly accelerate better prevention, detection, and treatments for cancer. Headquartered in the major U.S. biotech hub of San Diego, amid 3,000+ life sciences companies, leading health systems, and world-class research institutions, Curebound partners with these organizations to forge interdisciplinary collaboration, foster knowledge sharing, and fund pioneering cancer research. So far, Curebound has funded $35+ million in cancer research, awarding 115 study grants for 17 types of pediatric and adult cancers with one vision: cures in our lifetime. Join us - www.curebound.org.

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