Research

Stem cells are responsible for regeneration in various organs. For example, blood stem cells located in the bone marrow provide all our blood cells throughout life. These blood stem cells are created during embryonic development. Despite various protective mechanisms, stem cells may suffer damage over time, especially after exposure to certain toxic substances or with age, for example in the form of “genetic changes” or “mutations” that alter their genetic material. In the worst case, such damage promotes growth and allows damaged cells to spread in the bone marrow, while the healthy cells present there are displaced. Leukemia may develop if further mutations occur or if the bone marrow environment is damaged by the altered cells. Similar mechanisms are likely to occur during tumor formation in other stem cell-containing organs, but these are usually less well studied.

Our research group focuses on the study of stem cells in regeneration and tumor biology. We study how stem cells emerge during their development, survive in the bone marrow later on and interact with the bone marrow and cancer cells in the event of cancer. We are particularly interested in leukemia diseases and certain gene changes that indicate an unfavorable clinical course in patients with leukemia (e.g. with respect to stem cell EVI1). Using different research models, we analyze the effects of these genetic changes on leukemia cells themselves, as well as on their interaction with healthy stem cells and the environment. In leukemia, but also in other cancers (e.g. breast and ovarian cancers), we investigate how tumor cells use stem cell properties to induce cancer and protect themselves from conventional chemotherapy or radiation therapies as well as the body’s own immune monitoring.

 
By gaining a deeper understanding of these processes, our aim is to develop novel therapies that are also effective against resistant tumor cells with stem cell properties.

Our immune system does not only keep a number of microbial pathogens at bay, but also constantly works to identify and eliminate degenerate body cells, called cancer cells. But like some bacteria and viruses that can outsmart our immune system as part of their survival strategy, tumors also develop mechanisms to undermine the function of the immune system and avoid detection by it. If immune cells still penetrate the tumor surroundings or even the tumor itself, a tumor can “disarm” the once aggressive killer cells so that they can no longer attack it. And this is where modern immunotherapy comes in. Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies are able to reactivate these killer cells. These antibodies bind to inhibitory receptors on a killer cell, preventing them from transmitting “negative” signals that are responsible for the killer cells’ loss of function. At best, the killer cells can then trigger cell death of the cancer cell.
We can offer our patients the latest immunotherapy agents through clinical programs. Patients with a wide range of cancers can be enrolled in clinical trials at our Cancer Center to give them access to state-of-the-art drugs. In particular, as part of our Phase I Unit, we provide our patients with access to medicines that are still in clinical development and are not available as part of standard care.

Based on the latest scientific findings, the success of such immunotherapy depends on how many and which immune cells are present in the tumor. So we are developing test systems in the laboratory that enable us to better predict the efficacy of new immunotherapies, making it easier to find the optimal therapy or combination of therapies. In the spirit of personalized medicine, we will be able to assess which immunotherapy will work best and the chances of success for each individual patient, based on the immune cells in their tumor and additional biomarkers. This is because what happens in the tumor microenvironment between the tumor and the immune cells has a dramatic impact on tumor growth and therapeutic success.

Another important area of research is concerned with how immunotherapy can be optimally integrated into existing cancer treatments. Our hope is that immunotherapy will work even more effectively when used in conjunction with other therapies. Our research has shown that acquired resistance to individual drugs can be avoided if immunotherapies with different mechanisms of action are administered at the same time. This allows the tumor to be suppressed more effectively. Immunotherapy can also be given together with conventional chemotherapy or radiotherapy. We were able to show that certain chemotherapies stimulate the immune system and can therefore be ideally combined with immunotherapy. Another important combination is the simultaneous administration of immunotherapies with anti-angiogenic agents, i.e. drugs that inhibit excess blood vessel formation in the tumor caused by the tumor itself. These tumor-specific blood vessels supply the tumor with nutrients and oxygen, but they differ from “normal blood vessels” in that they allow immune cells only limited access to the tumor. The initial results show that significantly better therapeutic success is achieved by immunotherapy, when administered at the same time as these anti-angiogenic agents. The immune cells can reach the tumor cells more easily and destroy them.

Our research is focused on gynecological cancers in general and ovarian cancer in particular. Mortality from (epithelial) ovarian carcinoma is the highest among gynecological cancers because 75% of patients discover the disease at an advanced stage due to a lack of symptoms. Our research aims to find the methods and means to detect this disease as early and reliably as possible, to find the best therapy for each patient in the spirit of personalized medicine, to better identify risk groups and, last but not least, to find new, more effective and cost-effective forms of therapy. Our research ranges from basic and transnational to patient-oriented research, including the conduct of clinical trials.

From the point of view of patient-oriented research, the focus is on the evaluation of new treatment options and on research projects to optimize diagnosis, therapies and surgical processes, and to improve quality management and the cost-benefit effectiveness of procedures and treatments, so that each patient can be offered the therapy that benefits them most and has a good cost-benefit balance. This research is carried out within retrospective and prospective multicenter clinical trials, i.e. in cooperation with local, national and international research institutions and hospitals.

One of our main areas of focus is research into the molecular cause(s) of this disease. Although it is now recognized as a heterogeneous disease, patients are usually treated with «standard therapies». Identifying the molecular causes (signatures) of this heterogeneity will help us to find the best therapy or treatment for each patient or group of patients in the future, «tailored» to their needs. This includes finding new and, above all, more reliable methods and indicators, such as tumor markers or biomarkers, for the early detection of this disease. For this research, we benefit from our extensive biobanks with blood and tissue samples from national and international cohorts.

One of our main areas of focus is glycobiology, which means that we use our specially developed array platforms to investigate the role and function of glycans (sugar molecules) in the development and progression of ovarian cancer and their role in the immune response. These glycans are found in various structural variants on virtually all proteins and lipids in all cells and perform essential biological functions for the cells. Interestingly, certain glycan structures are found only in carcinoma cells, which suggests that they have a carcinoma-specific function. There are also indications that the concentration of antibodies against certain glycan structures, called antiglycan antibodies, differs in the blood serum of patients and healthy women, which could mean that certain glycans have tumor or biomarker properties and could even serve as target molecules for immunotherapies, for example. Such antiglycan antibodies are also found in the breast milk of breastfeeding mothers and in urine: the biological function of these antibodies is largely unknown and is also the subject of our research.

Further information

Group members
Publications

GO42144 – A Phase Ia/Ib Dose-Escalation and Dose-Expansion Study Evaluating the Safety, Pharmacokinetics, and Activity of GDC-6036 as a Single Agent and in Combination With Other Anti-cancer Therapies in Patients With Advanced or Metastatic Solid Tumors With a KRAS G12C Mutation
VARIA / BASKET, Advanced Solid Tumor

Principal Investigator
Sacha Rothschild
Contact: Sacha.Rothschild@usb.ch

TAPISTRY– Tumor-Agnostic Precision Immuno-Oncology and Somatic Targeting Rational for You (TAPISTRY) Platform Study.
 VARIA / BASKET

Principal Investigator
Raphaël Delaloye
Contact: Raphael.Delaloye@usb.ch

MK-3475-587 - A Multicenter, Open-label, Phase III Extension Trial to Study the Long-term Safety and Efficacy in Participants with Advanced Tumors Who Are Currently on Treatment or in Follow-up in a Pembrolizumab Trial
VARIA / BASKET

Principal Investigator
Alfred Zippelius
Contact: Alfred.Zippelius@usb.ch

ANV419-001 - ANV419 Single Agent (Parts A-C) or Combination (Part D) First in Human Study Phase 1/2: Open-label, Dose Escalation and Expansion Study in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Advanced Solid Tumors
VARIA / BASKET, Advanced Solid Tumor

Principal Investigator
Heinz Läubli
Contact: heinz.laeubli@usb.ch 

ON-TRK - Prospective Non-interventional study in patients with locally advanced or metastatic TRK fusion cancer treated with larotrectinib
VARIA / BASKET

Principal Investigator
Sacha Rothschild
Contact: Sacha.Rothschild@usb.ch

DOSe-intensified Image-guided fractionated stereotactic body radiation therapy for painful Spinal metastases versus conventional radiotherapy: a Randomised Controlled Trial (DOSIS RCT)
VARIA / BASKET, Advanced Solid Tumor, Radiotherapy

Principal Investigator
Prof. Dr. Frank Zimmermann
Contact: frank.zimmermann@usb.ch 

IOSI-RTO-001 - Stereotactic Radiosurgery or Hypofractionated Image-Guided Radiotherapy to the Surgical Cavity After Resection of Brain Metastases: a Multicenter, Single Arm, Open-label, Phase II Trial
VARIA / BASKET, Radiotherapy, BRAIN TUMORS, Brain Metastases

Principal Investigator
Associate Prof. Dr. med. Markus Gross
Contact: markus.gross@usb.ch

CA209-8TT - Pan Tumor Nivolumab Rollover Study
VARIA / BASKET, Advanced Solid Tumor

Principal Investigator
Alfred Zippelius
Contact: Alfred.Zippelius@usb.ch

CUPISCO (MX39795) – A phase II, randomized, active-controlled, multi-center study comparing the efficacy and safety of targeted therapy or cancer immunotherapy guided by genomic profiling versus platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with cancer of unknown primary site who have received three cycles of platinum doublet chemotherapy
VARIA / BASKET, CARCINOMA OF UNKNOWN PRIMARY (CUP)

Principal Investigator
Ilker Acemoglu
Contact: IlkerResat.Acemoglu@usb.ch

IOV-COM 202 – A Phase 2, Multicenter Study of Autologous Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes (LN-144 or LN-145) in Patients with Solid Tumors
VARIA/BASKET, Advanced Solid Tumor

Principal Investigator
Frank Stenner
Contact: Frank.Stenner@usb.ch

POLAR – A phase III open-label, multicenter, randomized trial of adjuvant palbociclib in combination with endocrine therapy versus endocrine therapy alone for patients with hormone receptor positive / HER2-negative resected isolated locoregional recurrence of breast cancer
BREAST CANCER, HR-positive, HER2-negative, 2nd line

Principal Investigator
David Thorn
Contact: praxis.langegasse78@hin.ch 

JPCW – eMonarcHER: A Randomized, Double Blind, Placebo-Controlled Phase 3 Study of Abemaciclib Plus Standard  Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy in Participants With High-Risk, Node-Positive, HR+, HER2+ Early Breast Cancer Who Have Completed Adjuvant HER2-Targeted Therapy
BREAST CANCER, HR-positive, HER2-positive, ≥ 2nd line

Principal Investigator
Marcus Vetter
Contact: marcus.vetter@usb.ch 

DESTINY-Breast12: An Open-Label, Multinational, Multicenter, Phase 3b/4 Study of Trastuzumab Deruxtecan in Patients With or Without Baseline Brain Metastasis With Previously-Treated Advanced/Metastatic HER2-Positive Breast Cancer

Principal Investigator
Christian Kurzeder
Contact: chrisitan.kurzeder@usb.ch

SAKK 23/16: TAXIS – A multi-center, phase III study to determine the optimal axillary therapy (surgery vs radiotherapy) for regional lymphonodular metastatic breast cancer

Principal Investigator
Walter Weber
Contact: walter.weber@usb.ch

SAKK 96/12 - (REDUSE) - Prevention of Symptomatic Skeletal Events with Denosumab Administered every 4 Weeks versus every 12 Weeks – A Non-Inferiority Phase III Trial
BREAST CANCER, HR-negative, HR-positive, Bone metastases, GENITOURINARY TUMORS, Prostate Cancer, castration resistant

Principal Investigator
Frank Stenner
Contact person: Frank.Stenner@usb.ch

CA 209-859: A Phase 3, randomized, double-blind clinical study of pembro plus chemo vs placebo plus chemo as 1st line treatment in participants with HER2 neg, previously untreated, unresectable or metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma

Principal Investigator
Viviane Hess
Contact person: Viviane.Hess@usb.ch 

DZB-CS-301: A pivotal study of derazantinib in patients with inoperable or advanced intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and FGFR2 fusions or FGFR2 gene mutations or amplifications

Principal Investigator
Viviane Hess
Contact person: Viviane.Hess@usb.ch

SAKK 41/13: Adjuvant aspirin treatment in PIK3CA mutated colon cancer patients. A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, phase III trial

Principal Investigator
Viviane Hess
Contact person: Viviane.Hess@usb.ch

SAKK 41/14: Physical activity program in patients with mCRC who receive palliative 1st line chemotherapy. A multicenter open label randomized contr. phase III trial

Principal Investigator
Viviane Hess
Contact person: Viviane.Hess@usb.ch

SAKK 41/16: Neoadjuvant treatment with Regorafenib and Capecitabine combined with radiotherapy in locally advanced rectal cancer. A multicenter phase Ib trial (RECAP)

Principal Investigator
Viviane Hess
Contact person: Viviane.Hess@usb.ch

Imlygic (Amgen 20130193) - A Postmarketing Prospective Cohort Study of Melanoma Patients Treated With IMLYGIC® (Talimogene Laherparepvec) in Clinical Practice to Characterize the Risk of Herpetic Infection Among Patients, Close Contacts, and Health Care Providers; and Long-term Safety in Treated Patients
MELANOMA

Principal Investigator
Heinz Läubli
Contact: heinz.laeubli@usb.ch

BaseTIL - Adoptive Tumor-infiltrating Lymphocyte Transfer With   
Nivolumab for Melanoma (CA209-7H9)
MELANOMA, ≥2nd line

Principal Investigator
Heinz Läubli
Contact: heinz.laeubli@usb.ch

CA224 098_A Phase 3, Randomized, Double-blind Study of Adjuvant Immunotherapy With Relatlimab and Nivolumab Fixed-dose Combination Versus Nivolumab Monotherapy After Complete Resection of Stage III-IV Melanoma
MELANOMA, adjuvant

Principal Investigator
Heinz Läubli
Contact: heinz.laeubli@usb.ch

INTERLINK-1: A Phase III Randomized, Double-blind, Multicenter, Global Study of Monalizumab or Placebo in Combination with Cetuximab in Patients with Recurrent or Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head & Neck Previously Treated With an Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor
HEAD AND NECK CANCER

Principal Investigator
Sacha Rothschild
Contact: Sacha.Rothschild@usb.ch

Contact: studien.gynaekologie@usb.ch
Principal Investigator
Prof. Viola Heinzelmann

DICCT: This study is aimed at women and men with advanced breast cancer.
In 25% of patients, circulating tumor cells can be detected in the blood. In some cases, these tumor cells aggregate (tumor cell clusters).
The aim of the study is to investigate the effect of digoxin on the destruction/dissolution of circulating tumor cells and tumor cell clusters.

INNOVATE 3 Study (Engot-ov50/INNOVATE-3 Study; EF-28 Study) : This study is aimed at women with ovarian cancer. The efficacy and safety of TumorTreatingFields (TTFields) are being tested. These are alternating electric fields. The mechanism of action is based on a disruption of the cell division of the cancer cells. Paclitaxcel is also used as a chemotherapeutic agent.

MATAO: This study is aimed at women with ovarian cancer with estrogen receptors on the tumor surface.
The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of letrozole as a maintenance therapy.

SGNTUC-016: This study is aimed at women and men with HER2-positive breast cancer, which is or has already spread throughout the body. When the cancer cells form the «HER2» protein, it is called HER2-positive.
This study is testing a combination of cancer drugs under investigation.

TUPRO: This study is aimed at women with ovarian cancer. In this study, tumor samples are examined more closely with the help of additional technologies.
The aim is to learn more about the characteristics of tumor cells. Based on the results of the analysis, a therapy recommendation can be made.

KRYSTAL-12 - A Randomized Phase 3 Study of MRTX849 versus Docetaxel in Patients with Previously Treated Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer with KRAS G12C Mutation
LUNG CANCER, NSCLC, Stage IV, ≥ 2nd line, KRAS G12C 

Principal Investigator
Sacha Rothschild
Contact: Sacha.Rothschild@usb.ch

M14-239 - Phase 2, Open-Label Safety and Efficacy Study of Telisotuzumab Vedotin (ABBV-399) in Subjects with Previously Treated c-Met+ Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
LUNG CANCER, NSCLC, Stage IV, ≥ 2nd line

Principal Investigator
David König
Contact: david.koenig@usb.ch

SAKK 15/19 - Thoracic radiotherapy plus maintenance Durvalumab after first line Carboplatin and Etoposide plus Durvalumab in extensive-stage disease small cell lung cancer (ED-SCLC). A multicenter single arm open label phase II trial
LUNG CANCER, SCLC, Extensive Disease

Principal Investigator
Sacha Rothschild
Contact: Sacha.Rothschild@usb.ch

SAKK 17/18 ORIGIN - Overcoming Resistance to Immunotherapy combining Gemcitabine with atezolizumab in advanced NSCLC and mesothelioma progressINg under immune-checkpoint inhibitors or gemcitabine. A multicenter, single-arm, open label phase II trial with two cohorts

PLEURAL MESOTHELIOMA, ≥ 2nd line, LUNG CANCER, NSCLC, Stage III, ≥ 2nd line, Stage IV, ≥ 2nd line

Principal Investigator
Sacha Rothschild
Contact: Sacha.Rothschild@usb.ch

TAK-788-3001 - A Randomized Phase 3 Multicenter Open-label Study to Compare the Efficacy of Mobocertinib (TAK-788) as First-line Treatment Versus Platinum-Based Chemotherapy in Patients With Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer With EGFR Exon 20 Insertion Mutation
LUNG CANCER, NSCLC, Stage IV, 1st line, PD-L1 low, PD-L1 high, EGFR Exon 20 Mutation, ECOG PS 0-1

Principal Investigator
Sacha Rothschild
Contact: Sacha.Rothschild@usb.ch

SKYSCRAPER-01 - A Study of Tiragolumab in Combination With Atezolizumab Compared With Placebo in Combination With Atezolizumab in Patients With Previously Untreated Locally Advanced Unresectable or Metastatic PD-L1-Selected Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
LUNG CANCER, NSCLC, Stage IV, 1st line, PD-L1 high, ECOG PS 0-1 

Principal Investigator
Sacha Rothschild
Contact: Sacha.Rothschild@usb.ch

CheckMate 73L (CA209-73L) - A Phase 3, Randomized, Open Label Study to Compare Nivolumab + Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) followed by Nivolumab + Ipilimumab or Nivolumab + CCRT followed by Nivolumab vs. CCRT followed by Durvalumab in Previously Untreated, Locally Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer (LA NSCLC)
LUNG CANCER, NSCLC, Stage III, non-resectable

Principal Investigator
Sacha Rothschild
Contact: Sacha.Rothschild@usb.ch

SAKK 16/18 - Immune-modulatory radiotherapy to enhance the effects of neoadjuvant PD-L1 blockade after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with resectable stage III(N2) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A multicenter phase II trial.
LUNG CANCER, NSCLC, Stage III, resectable

Principal Investigator
Sacha Rothschild
Contact: Sacha.Rothschild@usb.ch

Aplastic anemia
EMAA study: Eltrombopag in Patients with Acquired Moderate Aplastic Anemia EBMT.
Sponsor: University Hospital of Ulm.
Contact: Associate Prof. Dr Dominik Heim

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation and cellular therapies
NK cell study: A Phase I/II single center study to assess the safety, tolerability and feasibility of pre-emptive immunotherapy with in vitro expanded natural killer cells in patients treated with haploidentical stem cell transplantation for AML/MDS.
Sponsor: University Hospital Basel.
Contact: Prof. Jakob Passweg 

WiNK trial: A prospective Phase I/IIa, open-label, multicentre trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of oNKord®, an off-the-shelf, ex vivo-cultured allogeneic NK cell preparation, in subjects with acute myeloid leukaemia who are in complete morphologic remission with measurable residual disease and without a strong indication for stem cell transplantation.
Sponsor: Glycostem
Contact: Prof. Jakob Passweg

VIALE-T: A Randomized, Open Label Phase 3 Study Evaluating Safety and Efficacy of Venetoclax in combination with Azacitidine after allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation in Subjects with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).
Sponsor: Abbvie
Contact: Associate Prof. Dr. Jörg Halter

GRAPHITE (Vedo-3035): A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Multicenter Trial to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Vedolizumab Plus Standard of Care in the Prevention of the Development of Grade B-D Acute Intestinal Graft vs Host Disease (GvHD) in Adults Undergoing Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT).
Sponsor: Takeda
Contact: Associate Prof. Dr. Dominik Heim

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
CHDM201H12101C: A phase Ib, multi-arm, open-label, study of HDM201 (MDM2 Inhibitor) in combination with MBG453 (anti-TIM-3 IgG4 antibody) or venetoclax in adult subjects with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or high risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).
Sponsor: Novartis
Contact: Associate Prof. Dr. Jörg Halter

Myeloproliferative neoplasms
TRANSFORM-2: A Randomized, Open-Label, Phase 3 Study Evaluating Efficacy and Safety of Navitoclax in Combination with Ruxolitinib Versus Best Available Therapy in Subjects with Relapsed/Refractory Myelofibrosis.
Sponsor: Abbvie
Contact: Prof. Sara Meyer

INCMOR0208-301 - A Phase 3 Study to Assess Efficacy and Safety of Tafasitamab Plus Lenalidomide and Rituximab Compared to Placebo Plus Lenalidomide and Rituximab in Patients With Relapsed/Refractory (R/R) Follicular Lymphoma or Marginal Zone Lymphoma.
LYMPHOMA, follicular lymphoma

Principal Investigator
Fatime Krasniqi
Contact: Fatime.Krasniqi@usb.ch

SGN35-031 Echelon-3 - A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-Controlled, Active-Comparator, Multicenter, Phase 3 Study of Brentuximab Vedotin or Placebo in Combination With Lenalidomide and Rituximab in Subjects with Relapsed or Refractory Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma (DLBCL)
LYMPHOMA, Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma, relapsed or refractory

Principal Investigator
Frank Stenner
Contact: frank.stenner@usb.ch

CA224 098 - A Phase 3, Randomized, Double-blind Study of Adjuvant Immunotherapy With Relatlimab and Nivolumab Fixed-dose Combination Versus Nivolumab Monotherapy After Complete Resection of Stage III-IV Melanoma
MELANOMA, adjuvant

Principal Investigator
Heinz Läubli
Contact: heinz.laeubli@usb.ch 

Imlygic (Amgen 20130193) - A Postmarketing Prospective Cohort Study of Melanoma Patients Treated With IMLYGIC® (Talimogene Laherparepvec) in Clinical Practice to Characterize the Risk of Herpetic Infection Among Patients, Close Contacts, and Health Care Providers; and Long-term Safety in Treated Patients
MELANOMA

Principal Investigator
Heinz Läubli
Contact: heinz.laeubli@usb.ch

BaseTIL - Adoptive Tumor-infiltrating Lymphocyte Transfer With Nivolumab for Melanoma (CA209-7H9) MELANOMA, ≥2nd line

Principal Investigator
Heinz Läubli
Contact: heinz.laeubli@usb.ch

LUMED - 177Lu-PP-F11N for Receptor Targeted Therapy and Imaging (Theranostics) of Metastatic Medullary Thyroid Cancer – a Pilot and a Phase I Study.

Principal Investigator
Damian Wild
Contact: damian.wild@usb.ch

Swiss Austrian German Testicular Cancer Cohort Study – SAG TCCS
REGISTER STUDIES, GENITOURINARY TUMORS, Germ Cell Tumors

Principal Investigator
Sacha Rothschild
Contact: Sacha.Rothschild@usb.ch

SAKK 01/18 - Reduced intensity radio-chemotherapy for stage IIA/B seminoma. A multicenter, open label phase II trial with two cohorts
GENITOURINARY TUMORS, Germ Cell Tumors

Principal Investigator
Alexandros Papachristofilou
Contact: alexandros.papachristofilou@usb.ch

SAKK 06/19 - Intravesical recombinant BCG followed by perioperative chemo-immunotherapy for patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) - A multicenter, single-arm phase II trial
GENITOURINARY TUMORS, Bladder Cancer, Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer (MIBC)

Principal Investigator
Sacha Rothschild
Contact: Sacha.Rothschild@usb.ch

Immu-132-13 - A Randomized Open-Label Phase III Study of Sacituzumab Govitecan Versus Treatment of Physician’s Choice in Subjects with Metastatic or Locally Advanced Unresectable Urothelial Cancer
GENITOURINARY TUMORS, Urothelial Cancer, 2nd line

Principal Investigator
Frank Stenner
Contact: frank.stenner@usb.ch

EV-302 - An open-label, randomized, controlled phase 3 study of enfortumab vedotin in combination with pembrolizumab versus chemotherapy alone in previously untreated locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer
GENITOURINARY TUMORS, Urothelial Cancer, 1st line

Principal Investigator
Frank Stenner
Contact: frank.stenner@usb.ch

KEYNOTE-676 - Efficacy and Safety of Pembrolizumab (MK-3475) in Combination With Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) in High-Risk Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer (HR NMIBC)
GENITOURINARY TUMORS, Bladder Cancer, Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer (NMIBC)

Principal Investigator
Cyrill Rentsch
Contact: cyrill.rentsch@usb.ch

SAKK 09/18: Evaluation of the therapeutic benefit of pelvic lymph nodes removal during surgical prostate removal. –
https://www.sakk.ch/de/studien

STAMPEDE trial: Ongoing observations of innovative treatment options in advanced prostate cancer compared to standard therapy (STAMPEDE: Systemic Therapy in Advancing or Metastatic Prostate Cancer: Evaluation of Drug Efficacy).
https://www.sakk.ch/de/studien

SAKK 63/12: Prospective cohort study with collection of clinical data and serum of patients with prostate disease.

SAKK 96/12 - (REDUSE) - Prevention of Symptomatic Skeletal Events with Denosumab Administered every 4 Weeks versus every 12 Weeks – A Non-Inferiority Phase III Trial
BREAST CANCER, HR-negative, HR-positive, Bone metastases, GENITOURINARY TUMORS, Prostate Cancer, castration resistant

Principal Investigator
Sacha Rothschild
Contact: Sacha.Rothschild@usb.ch

https://www.sakk.ch/de/studien

MK-3475-676: Trial to investigate the efficacy of pembrolizumab in combination with BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guérin) as compared to BCG alone in patients with a specific form of bladder cancer.

Translational oncology research

BCG trial: Collection of blood and tissue samples in the context of immunotherapy for urothelial carcinomas of the urinary bladder. This collection will allow for a later investigation and rapid evaluation of promising bladder cancer progression markers.

Ex Vivo trial: If you take part in this trial, your cancer tissue will be further cultivated in a culture dish in the laboratory. These cultured cancer cells or organoids can be used for anticancer drug testing to predict response to therapy.

Xenograft trial: Establishment of robust and clinic-related cancer models in experimental animals. The resulting biological and genetic characterization of tumors, together with the aforementioned study, should enable individual therapy tailored to the patient in the future.

BEDNA trial: Analysis of the genetic substances of cancer cells freely circulating in the blood of patients with advanced cancer. The establishment of this technique may enable minimally invasive disease and monitoring of advanced cancers in the future.

RIPC trial: RIPC describes the induction of ischemia, e.g. extremity ischemia by means of a blood pressure cuff, before the actual damaging ischemia of the target organ. RIPC may be an effective way of limiting ischemia damage to the kidney.

Prospective cohort studies

IRONMAN: International registry of patients with advanced prostate cancer
Mona Lisa: Observational study of robot-assisted prostate biopsy (Mona Lisa).
Gender study: Observational study in patients who have opted for sex conversion surgery.
Kidney donor study: Observational study to measure the quality of life of these patients.

Infectious disease trials

CITrUS: Investigation of the most clinically effective duration of antibiotic prophylaxis in the removal of the enlarged prostate via the urethra (TUR-P). Several urology centers in Switzerland are taking part in this study. The study is funded by the SNSF.

APPEAL: The study examines a precautionary administration of antibiotics (= prophylaxis) versus no administration of antibiotics (= placebo) in shock wave lithotripsy (= breaking) of urinary stones.

Screening study

Visioning: The study investigates the value of a prostate cancer screening program based solely on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The MRI screening is intended to prevent unnecessary tissue harvesting and identify more clinically relevant tumors.

GBM AGILE - An International, Seamless Phase II/III Response Adaptive Randomization Platform Trial Designed To Evaluate Multiple Regimens In Newly Diagnosed and Recurrent Glioblastoma (GBM)
BRAIN TUMORS

Principal Investigator
Heinz Läubli
Contact: heinz.laeubli@usb.ch

Basilea CDI-CS-002 - An open-label Phase 1/2a study of oral BAL101553 in adult patients with advanced solid tumors and in adult patients with recurrent or progressive glioblastoma or high-grade glioma BRAIN TUMORS

Principal Investigator
Heinz Läubli
Contact: heinz.laeubli@usb.ch

IOSI-RTO-001 - Stereotactic Radiosurgery or Hypofractionated Image-Guided Radiotherapy to the Surgical Cavity after Resection of Brain Metastases: a Multicenter, Single Arm, Open-label, Phase II Trial
VARIA / BASKET, Radiotherapy, BRAIN TUMORS, Brain Metastases

Principal Investigator
Associate Prof. Dr. med. Markus Gross
Contact: markus.gross@usb.ch