World-first clinical trial aims to protect cancer patients from COVID-19

Surgeon-scientist Dr. Rebecca Auer is leading a world-first clinical trial that she hopes will protect cancer patients from COVID-19 and other respiratory infections by boosting their immune systems during treatment. In collaboration with scientists at the Ontario Institute of Cancer Research, researchers will explore an immune-stimulator called IMM-101. The trial will be designed and run by the Canadian Cancer Trials Group at Queen's University at nine cancer centres across Canada and will recruit 1,500 patients currently receiving cancer treatment. This trial takes advantage of a lesser-known aspect of the immune system - innate immunity. This first-response arm of the immune system plays a key role in detecting viruses. The research team hopes the IMM-101 treatment will train the patient's innate immune system to fight off the COVID-19 virus, in addition to other viruses that cause respiratory infections. The advantage of this immune-boosting approach is that it could help cancer patients fight off all sorts of viruses while they are undergoing cancer treatments and are at their most vulnerable. The trial has been approved by Health Canada and will run this summer and into the fall. Researchers expect to see preliminary results in about nine months.