Catapult Award Project Details
Dr. Ranjit Bindra – Yale University School of Medicine
CureSearch Catapult Award: 2018-2021
Focus: High-grade glioma
Project Title: Exploiting mutant IDH1/2-induced DNA repair defects in pediatric glioma
Project Overview: Pediatric glioma is an aggressive type of brain cancer that has a very low 5-year survival rate of less than 25%. Dr. Bindra is testing a novel drug in pediatric patients with a specific subtype of glioma that makes it sensitive to chemotherapy by inhibiting the PARP gene that is involved in repairing DNA mutations. PARP inhibitors make the cancer more sensitive to standard therapies, lowering the dosage needed and associated long-term toxicity when used in combination with chemotherapy. Dr. Bindra’s cutting-edge study has the potential to improve long-term survival rates and reduce toxicity in pediatric glioma patients and lead to a potential shift in treatment standards.
Dr. Bindra is partnering with the Pacific Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Consortium (PNOC) to administer the clinical trial at 18 pediatric cancer centers in the U.S. enrolling 45 patients. The study is proposed to take 3 years to complete. Dr. Bindra will also collaborate with Teen Cancer America, an advocacy group dedicated to AYA patient survivorship, to share the study’s results.
Project Update: As of May 2021, Dr. Bindra has treated his first cohort of three patients. There were no dose-limiting toxicities or significant findings. As such, dose escalation was approved for the next cohort of three patients. The first patient reached their two-year point on this trial in February of 2021.
In the News
Biopharma Makes Progress against a Childhood Killer: Pediatric Glioma BioSpace