BMS and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute enter I-O RPM collaboration

Bristol-Myers Squibb and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have entered into a research collaboration agreement as part of the Immuno-Oncology Rare Population Malignancy (I-O RPM) programme.

The I-O RPM research programme focuses on significant areas of high unmet need marked by poor outcomes among patients with rare population malignancies. It is a multi-institutional initiative with Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Centre of Northwestern University and the Northwestern Medicine Developmental Therapeutics Institute, Moffitt Cancer Centre, Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Centre and now the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. I-O RPM builds on Bristol-Myers Squibb’s formation in 2012 of the International Immuno-Oncology Network (II-ON), which is a global collaboration between Bristol-Myers Squibb and academia focused on facilitating the translation of scientific research findings into clinical trials and, eventually, clinical practice.

Commenting on the collaboration, Laura Bessen, MD, head of US Medical, Bristol-Myers Squibb, said: “Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Bristol-Myers Squibb have a shared commitment to patients and to continuing to advance the science in Immuno-Oncology research. We look forward to working with them as part of the I-O RPM programme.”

Dr Paul Richardson, Clinical Programme Leader and Director of Clinical Research of the Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, added: “Recent advances in scientific research have shown the great potential of immuno-oncology agents in hematologic cancers, including myeloma. We look forward to expanding on these findings through the support of the I-O RPM programme with the goal of further improving patient outcomes.”

As part of the I-O RPM programme, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute will conduct a range of early phase clinical studies and Bristol-Myers Squibb will support the training of young investigators who contribute to the I-O RPM programme at Dana-Farber.