Cancer patients to benefit from Victorian Cancer Agency funded research at MHTP

Associate Professor Jake Shortt

Monash Health Translation Precinct (MHTP) researchers received close to $4.5 million in grants in the latest Victorian Cancer Agency (VCA) funding round, announced last Friday.

Of the eleven projects supported through the VCA, four will be led by Monash University’s School of Clinical Science researchers.

MHTP Head of Haematology Research, Associate Professor Jake Shortt received nearly $2 million to lead a clinical trial in collaboration with the Alfred's Myeloma Research Group investigating a new cancer treatment for Victorian myeloma patients.

“Our patients will receive a unique therapeutic antibody called MDX1097 that recognises a molecule only present on the surface of myeloma cells, and not normal cells,” said Associate Professor Shortt.

“The most exciting recent advance in myeloma treatment is the introduction of immune therapies targeting myeloma cells—and we’re hoping our immune therapy MDX1097 will also make a significant impact.”

Monash University Senior Research Fellow Dr Arun Azad and Hudson Institute’s Associate Professor Ron Firestein also received $2 million to determine whether particular prostate and colorectal cancer patients will respond to a new class of cancer drug known as BET inhibitors.

“Our clinical trial, to be undertaken at the newly opened Clinical Trials Unit at MHTP, is the first in the world to look at the association between patients with a particular biomarker known as long non-coding RNA and the potential benefit of BET inhibitors,” said Dr Azad who is also a Consultant Medical Oncologist at Monash Health.

Professor Terry Haines and Professor Helen Truby, Head of Department of Nutrition and Dietetics were awarded $300,000 to examine different approaches for delivering an accelerated nutrition support program for patients with stomach or oesophageal cancer.

Director of Research at Southern Physiotherapy Clinical School, Professor Haines said he hopes to deliver programs to improve body weight and quality of life for those newly diagnosed with stomach or oesophageal cancer.

Regional and rural Australian cancer patients will also benefit from MHTP research aiming to improve palliative care expertise outside metropolitan cities.

Director of Supportive and Palliative Care at Monash Health, Associate Professor Peter Poon received $141,000 to lead a telehealth project to deliver earlier specialist palliative care to rural cancer patients, especially those with difficult-to-manage symptoms.

“Working together with rural medical practitioners, our project will lead to improved care planning, carer support and multidisciplinary management,” said Associate Professor Poon.