Ovarian Cancer Canada projects span a research continuum from lab bench to bedside.
They encompass the development of tools to facilitate the study of this disease, allow the testing of novel treatments, and initiate clinical trials for eligible patients. Researchers are starting to deliver preliminary results to inform next steps and future directions.
Ovarian cancer research models
Funded projects on ovarian cancer research models will set the stage for future discoveries from diagnosis to prevention to treatment for all types of ovarian cancer. Our goal is to build a gold-standard set of ovarian cancer research models that will be made available to the Canadian ovarian cancer research community to learn more about how all types of ovarian cancer start, progress, and ultimately, can be stopped. To achieve this, a pan-Canadian group of scientists with relevant expertise came together for a uniquely collaborative decision-making process to determine how to build the necessary toolbox to propel scientific discoveries for all types of ovarian cancer.
- Human cell lines – Molecular characterization of high-grade serous ovarian cancer cell lines – Dr. Anne-Marie Mes-Masson, Quebec.
- Ex vivo – Generation of patient derived organoids – Dr. Trevor Shepherd and Dr. Nikolina Radulovich, Ontario
- Ex vivo – Development of patient-derived ex vivo models to investigate role of cancer-associated fibroblasts – Dr. Laurie Ailles, Ontario
- In vivo – Molecular characterization of patient-derived xenografts and paired tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes – Dr. Laurie Ailles, Dr. Francis Rodier and Dr. John Stagg, Ontario and Quebec
- In vivo – Molecular characterization of syngeneic mouse models – Dr. Barbara Vanderhyden, Dr. Jim Petrik and Dr. Madhuri Koti, Ontario
- In vivo – Syngeneic mouse model treatment responses - Dr. Barbara Vanderhyden and Dr. Jim Petrik, Ontario
- Human cell lines – Development and molecular characterization of low-grade serous cell lines – Dr. Mark Carey, British Columbia
- Human cell lines – Molecular characterization of non-serous cell lines – Dr. Anne-Marie Mes-Masson, Dr. Barbara Vanderhyden and Dr. David Huntsman, Quebec and Ontario
- In vivo – Development and molecular characterization of low-grade serous patient-derived xenografts - Dr. Mark Carey, British Columbia
- In vivo – Development and molecular characterization of clear cell carcinoma and small cell carcinoma of the ovary, hypercalcemic type – Dr. David Huntsman, British Columbia
- In vivo – Endometriosis‐Associated Ovarian Carcinomas: Mouse Model for Pre‐Malignant Lesion Establishment and Progression - Dr. Michael Anglesio, British Columbia
- In vivo – Development and Distribution of Clear Cell and Endometroid Ovarian Carcinoma Metastasis Model – Dr. David Huntsman, British Columbia
- Ex vivo – A shareable microfluidics platform for ex vivo drug testing of new therapeutics in ovarian cancer – Dr. Anne-Marie Mes-Masson, Quebec
- Ex vivo – In vitro co-culture system to evaluate responses to immune checkpoint blockade – Dr. John Stagg, Quebec
- Ex vivo – A shareable ovarian cancer Tissue Cell Fate manipulation and detection tool – Dr. Francis Rodier, Quebec
- Ex vivo – A sandwiched spheroid platform to recapitulate ovarian cancer regions and their impact on NK cells – Dr. Jeanette Boudreau, Nova Scotia
- In vivo – A humanized natural killer cell competent mouse model for ovarian cancer - Dr. Jeanette Boudreau, Nova Scotia
- In vivo – Histopathological characterization of the orthometastatic tumors formed by ovarian cancer cell lines of Ovarian Cancer Canada’s OvCAN initiative as a prelude to therapeutic studies – Dr. Carlos Telleria, Quebec
Testing novel treatments in pre-clinical studies
Ovarian Cancer Canada funds research focusing on the pre-clinical testing of potential treatments in highly representative research models to identify and test novel treatment strategies in leading labs, so that new and better options may enter clinical trials.
To date, we have funded 13 high-quality pre-clinical studies in partnership with the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer — Commercialization of Research (IRICoR) and the Cancer Research Society. This includes five projects dedicated to the development of new effective treatments for people with less common types of ovarian cancer, and funding of an early-career investigator to invest in the future of ovarian cancer research. Patients have played a key role in selecting the most promising treatments to be funded within this priority area.
July 28, 2021
Expanding horizons in ovarian cancer research
A new partnership between Ovarian Cancer Canada and the Cancer Research Society recently announced funding for 10 new projects testing treatments that show potential to help people with this disease live longer and better.
December 7, 2021
Ovarian Cancer Canada and the Cancer Research Society invest $2.25 million
Ovarian Cancer Canada and the Cancer Research Society invest $2.25 million in ovarian cancer research: Funding for 10 new projects just announced
April 6, 2021
IRICoR and Ovarian Cancer Canada announce $2.3M
IRICoR and Ovarian Cancer Canada announce $2.3M for development of new treatments for ovarian cancer
Advancing clinical trials using a personalized medicine approach
By funding early phase clinical trials, we bring the best new treatments to people living with ovarian cancer. Our goal is to ensure that studies are national in scope, build on Canadian science, include studies on samples collected throughout the trial when possible, have meaningful patient engagement and have the potential to create a large impact.
In collaboration with partners, Ovarian Cancer Canada funded clinical trials include:
The Neo trial
The “NEO trial”, led by Drs. Amit Oza and Stephanie Lheureux in Toronto, is testing the impact of using a PARP inhibitor prior to surgery, in women with platinum-sensitive recurrent high-grade serous OC. This trial includes 5 sites in Canada from ON, QC and AB and 44 patients have been recruited with analysis of tumour samples underway.
The CX5461 trial
The “CX5461 trial”, led by Dr. Amit Oza in Toronto, is testing a new small molecular inhibitor in patients who have become resistant to PARP inhibitors. This trial is now open at Princess Margaret in Toronto and the CHUM in Montreal and is aiming to recruit up to 30 women with ovarian cancer of any type
The biomarkers trial
The Molecular Evaluation of MEK\ER Response in LGSCs: A Clinical-Translational Study led by Dr. Anna Tinker, B.C. Cancer Medical Oncologist, is a nationwide study dedicated to improving understanding of the biomarkers that predict how specific patients with low-grade serous ovarian cancer (LGSC) will respond to two commonly used treatments.
The NEOCATS trial
The Neoadjuvant Olaparib Combination Ovarian Cancer Targeted Study (NEOCATS), led by Dr. Yvette Drew, B.C. Cancer Medical Oncologist, aims to improve outcomes through a treatment regimen that combines the PARP inhibitor Olaparib and the immunotherapy treatment Durvalumab with Bevacizumab, a drug that blocks and interferes with the cancer’s blood supply.
The ES2 trial
The “ES2 trial”, led by Drs. Diane Provencher from Montreal and Helen MacKay from Toronto will test the impact of using a PARP inhibitor in combination with another drug that activates controlled death (or “apoptosis”) pathways in tumour cells. This study is gearing up to open soon, and will recruit 30 women with from 3 sites in Canada.
The REVOLVE trial
The “REVOLVE trial”, led by Dr. Stephanie Lheureux in Toronto, is truly “personalized medicine in action.” This trial is now open at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, and will use genomics in tumour samples to determine the best next treatment for patients who have become resistant to PARP inhibitors. Up to 100 patients with recurrent high-grade serous or endometrioid cancer from 9 sites across Canada will be enrolled.