Brendan Curti, MD

Brendan Curti, MD
About Brendan Curti, MD

Augmenting OX40 Immunotherapy in Men with Advanced Prostate Cancer
Dr. Curti and his team are pioneers in the preclinical and clinical development of a new immunotherapy that activates the anti-tumor effects of patients’ own T cells (a type of white blood immune cell). This new target, OX40, is a cell surface molecule on T cells that when properly activated can induce T cells to kill cancer cells. A Phase I Clinical Trial showed that prostate cancer patients treated with a monoclonal antibody directed against OX-40 (anti-OX40) had the greatest increase in the frequency of anti-tumor T cells relative to other solid tumor patients. Additionally, pre-clinical studies in mouse models revealed that anti-OX40 in combination with chemotherapy and radiation had the greatest anti-cancer effect. This project will extend these findings into the clinic by initiating a clinical investigation to evaluate anti-OX40 in combination with chemotherapy and radiation therapy in patients with metastatic prostate cancer. During the study, the investigators will be monitoring the frequency of T cells in patients undergoing treatment to identify whether T cell quantification can predict clinical response to this treatment strategy. Anti-OX40 is first-in-man, first in prostate cancer. This work promises to enhance effectiveness of immunotherapy.

Award

The Gordon Becker Creativity Award

University

Providence Portland Medical Center, Oregon