Blueprint

1. A BLUEPRINT TO ADVANCE
COLORECTAL CANCER (CRC)
IMMUNOTHERAPIES
Presented By:
Al B. Benson III, MD FACP FASCO
Professor of Medicine
Associate Director for Cooperative Groups Robert H. Lurie
Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University

2. Our Intent
This joint effort is supported by a legacy gift honoring
Gordon Cole, a stage IV colorectal cancer survivor and
Fight Colorectal Cancer board member who passed away in
Sept. 2014.
Gordon believed research into the field of immunology will
lead to new treatments and improved care for patients.
This was based on his own experience after participating in
an immunotherapy trial at Duke, which he felt allowed him
a longer, richer life.
Support from the Cole family, in his honor has allowed
Fight CRC and the Cancer Research Institute to launch a
dedicated effort to advance the science and clinical
practice of immunotherapy in CRC.
Gordon Cole,
former Fight CRC board
member

3. Our Partnership
Fight Colorectal Cancer (Fight CRC) is a leading patient advocacy organization based
in Washington D.C. committed to research and finding a cure a for colorectal cancer
by uniting a community of CRC survivors, scientists, and advocates.
Cancer Research Institute (CRI) established in 1953, is the world’s only nonprofit
organization dedicated exclusively to transforming cancer patient care by advancing
scientific efforts to develop new and effective immune system-based strategies to
prevent, diagnose, treat, and cure cancer.
Shared Vision: Advance the Science and Therapeutic
Approaches in Immunotherapy for Colorectal Cancer

4. Our Aims
• Convene multi-disciplinary experts in the fields related to colorectal
cancer and immunotherapy
• Synthesize the current research
• Developing a blueprint to outline next steps and potential for
advancement
• Follow the trajectory of the science with advisement of ‘Colorectal
Immunotherapy Workgroup’

5. Convening of Experts
Co-Chairs
• Al B. Benson III, M.D., FACP, from the Robert H. Lurie
Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University
• Dung T. Le, M.D., from Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel
Comprehensive Cancer Center
Gatherings:
• December 2, 2015 in New York City to outline current research
and identify next steps and gaps for future research. Over 20
academia and industry partners were represented globally with
expertise in oncology, immunology, the microbiome, bench
science and translational research.
• Presentation at AACR in April and ongoing meetings at ASCO
and calls in the Spring/Summer of 2016.
• GI ASCO Meeting for Final Paper Strategy in January of 2017 Dung Le, Al Benson (co-chairs), Jill O’Donnell-
Tormey (CRI), Anjee Davis (Fight CRC)

6. December 2nd Meeting
Workgroup Members Not Present or Not In Photo:
Member Organization
Dr. Michael Morse Duke University
Dr. Elizabeth Jaffe John Hopkins
Dr. Christopher Lieu University of Colorado
Dr. Stan Hamilton MD Anderson
Dr. Richard Goldberg Ohio State
Dr. Robert Binder University of Pittsburgh
Dr. Tom Marsilje Fight CRC Patient Advocate
Keavy McAbee Fight CRC
Member Organization
Dr. Al Benson Northwestern University
Dr. Emily Chan Vanderbilt University
Dr. Dustin Deming University of Wisconsin
Dr. Luis Diaz Johns Hopkins
Dr. Wolf Fridman INSERM
Dr. Franck Housseau Johns Hopkins
Dr. S. Peter Kang Merck
Dr. Smitha Krishnamurth Case Western University
Dr. Dung T Le Johns Hopkins
Dr. Wells Messersmith University of Colorado
Dr. Cynthia L. Sears Johns Hopkins
Dr. Neil Segal Memorial Sloan Kettering
Dr. Arvin Yang Bristol Myers Squibb
Dr. Rebecca Moss Bristol Myers Squibb
Dr. Edward Cha Genentech
Dr. Tom Dubensky Aduro Biotech
Dr. Aimee Murphy Aduro Biotech
Andrea (Andi) Dwyer University of Colorado Fight CRC
Anjee Davis Fight CRC President
Dr. Jill O'Donnell-Tormey CRI President
Dr. Vanessa Lucy CRI
Dr. Arthur Brodsky CRI
Nancy Roach Fight CRC Founder

7. The Blueprint

8. Summary of the main biological and clinical findings.
E. Missiaglia et al. Ann Oncol 2014;25:1995-2001
© The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society for
Medical Oncology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email:
journals.permissions@oup.com.

9. Progression in our understanding of CRC subtypes
Presented By David Cunningham

11. Questions To
Be Answered

12. Summary
• In summary, recent data shows the promise of immunotherapy for
CRC in at least a subset of patients. Further studies that include
analysis of the immune contexture and the genomic profile of these
patients will aid in our understanding of why some CRC patients
respond to immunotherapy, while others do not.
• The goal of convening two non-profits with experts in CRC and
immunotherapy was to fill the gaps in our understanding of this
difficult-to-treat patient population, and provide a research platform
for collaborative research to move immunotherapy into the SOC for
CRC patients.

13. Continue Convening Workgroup
Publish Blue Print
Utilize Blue Print to Help Set Direction:
Prioritize Research Aims
Infrastructure Critical To Perform Research
Potential Policies to Enhance Research
Develop Partnerships Around Shared Vision
DoD Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program
$50M, 13 areas including CRC and immunology
Program Announcements on grants.gov in April and July
Fund Research
Fight CRC and CRI Devote Funding to Research Aim-Along
with a Donation from Cindy Stowell a 6 Time Jeopardy
Winner, who died December 2016 of Colorectal Cancer.

14. What You Can Do As Advocates
On the Hill advocate for Research Dollars
Consider participation in Clinical Trials for
treatment if appropriate
Share Information about Clinical Trials
Donate to Research

15. Honoring Our Advocates –
Cindy Stowell, Gordon Cole and All of You

16. Thank you
For Slide Deck and More Information Visit:
www.FightCRC.org
www.cancerresearch.org