The Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, BMS, CRI join to fight cancer

The Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and the Cancer Research Institute (CRI) have entered into a multi-year clinical research collaboration to coordinate and rapidly initiate clinical Immuno-Oncology (I-O) studies across the Parker Institute and CRI networks.

Bristol-Myers Squibb said in its press release on Tuesday that it will work closely with leading Parker Institute and CRI scientists and researchers, soliciting clinical research proposals from their networks and coordinating multi-site collaboration clinical studies to pursue some of the most difficult questions in cancer research. According to collaboration agreement, BMS will provide scientists with an ecosystem of advanced translational tools, precision immunotherapy and cutting-edge bioanalytical expertise to maximize learning and ensure the generation of high quality data to inform future development.

BMS described the Parker Institute as a novel collaboration model which includes industry, academic and philanthropic participants, focused on the shared goal of accelerating immunotherapy research to develop and deliver new treatment options for patients. The second collaborator, CRI is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing laboratory and clinical research through its global network of academic, industry, and nonprofit partners with the goal of developing lifesaving immunotherapies for all forms of cancer.

The company said that the collaboration will build on the Parker Institute model that brings together the nation’s research institutions to share resources, data and technology to accelerate research through unifying and managing clinical trial design and conducting clinical studies across multi-centers. The Parker Institute currently funds projects across its network of more than 60 laboratories and 300 researchers who work together to advance research and potentially develop new therapies. The Cancer Research Institute will support the collaboration with investment from its Clinical Accelerator venture philanthropy program and access to its global network of leading investigators from around the world.

Fouad Namouni, M.D., head of Oncology Development, Bristol-Myers Squibb said: “We are excited to partner with the Parker Institute and the Cancer Research Institute to leverage the unique translational capabilities of their networks and explore novel mechanisms of action in the field of I-O.”

This is the Parker Institute’s first major agreement with a biopharma partner.

“One of our goals is to help facilitate collaborations between academia and industry to help advance cancer research,” said Jeffrey Bluestone, Ph.D., CEO and president of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy.

“Unlocking the full potential of next-generation precision cancer immunotherapy requires the kind of coordination, resources, and logistical support that the Parker Institute and the Cancer Research Institute can offer our research partners, and collaboration with industry leaders like Bristol-Myers Squibb will be essential to hastening the development of new cancer immunotherapies,” said Jill O’Donnell-Tormey, Ph.D., CEO and director of scientific affairs at CRI.