Research Projects Funded By Olivia Caldwell Foundation
Here are some of the research projects funded completely or in part by Olivia Caldwell Foundation. To date, we have donated $525,000 to pediatric cancer research with a specific interest in the treatment of low-grade gliomas and other pediatric brain cancers. We have provided full funding for 8 research projects and been a partial funder of 30 additional research projects.
We've also helped our Research Team secure an additional $2.5 Million in additional Federal Funding to further the research projects we've supported.
We've also helped our Research Team secure an additional $2.5 Million in additional Federal Funding to further the research projects we've supported.
Research Breakthroughs Made Possible With OCF Funding
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#2 - The development of therapy to overcome resistance to targeted therapy
(read more) |
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#4 - Exploration of all the cells in a low grade glioma using single cell deep sequencing techniques (ongoing)
(read more) |
Thanks to OCF's Funding Our Research Team Has Developed Effective Treatment Options For:
#1 - Braf Driven Tumors: Braf driven tumors are the most common low grade brain tumor of childhood. Thanks to OCF's support our research team was able to develop an effective oral targeted therapy for this tumor, which now has minimal side effects and leads to long-term survival for children who receive this diagnosis.
#2 - Resistant Braf Driven Tumors: Braf driven tumors sometimes reoccur in children after initially receiving clear scans with targeted therapy. When this happens the Braf driven tumors often become resistant to the targeted therapy. However, our research team discovered that adding an autophagy inhibitor to targeted therapy makes the previously resistant tumor sensitive to the targeted therapy again, thus leading to vastly better survival rates.
#3- FGFR1/FGFR3 Driven Tumors: Tumors driven by the FGFR1 or FGFR3 mutations are rare in children, but extremely deadly. Most children with this diagnosis did not survive the disease, even when treated with conventional chemotherapy. Our research team used OCF's funding to identify these mutations and to develop a targeted oral therapy that has minimal side effects and leads to long-term survival for children who receive this diagnosis. It is important to note that our namesake, Olivia Caldwell, had a low grade glioma (astrocytoma) with an FGFR1 mutation, which is what led to her death at 20 months of age.
#4 - Resistant FGFR1/FGFR3 Driven Tumors: Tumors driven by the FGFR1 or FGFR3 mutations sometimes reoccur in children after initially receiving clear scans with targeted therapy. When this happens the FGFR1/FGFR3 driven tumors often become resistant to targeted therapy. However, our research team discovered once again that adding an autophagy inhibitor to targeted therapy makes the previously resistant tumor sensitive to the targeted therapy again, thus leading to vastly better survival rates.
#5 - NF Driven Tumors (largely found in patients with Neurofibromatosis): Children born with the genetic condition, Neurofibromatosis, can develop tumors all over their body. One extremely common type of NF driven tumor is found largely on the optic pathway, causing blindness. Our research team developed a specific targeted therapy that is very effective in treating these NF driven optic pathway tumors. This treatment is not only extremely effective, but it is also successful in restoring vision.
#6 - NTRK Driven Tumors: This rare type of tumor had also been difficult to treat. Our research team used OCF funding to create a targeted therapy to treat this rare type of tumor. This oral targeted therapy has been very effective and has significantly increased survival rates for children with this diagnosis.
#7 - Pleomorphic xantroastrocytoma (PXA - High Grade Glioma) - Our research team used OCF funding to find an effective treatment for PXA High Grade Gliomas. They found this aggressive high grade tumor can be treated successfully using an oral targeted therapy also used to treat Braf mutations in low grade gliomas. These tumors are often driven by Braf mutations, but Braf specific targeted therapy usually has to have an autophagy inhibitor added to make it effective both initial treatment and at recurrence. This oral targeted therapy provides hope and a treatment option for children for a previously very difficult to treat brain cancer.
#8 - Plexiform Neurofibroma in Neurofibromatosis: Prior to targeted therapy there was no treatment for these soft tissue tumors which were often physically deforming or associated with severe nerve pain. Targeted oral therapy in this group has proven to be the first effective therapy. Over 50 children with plexiforms have been treated with targeted agents by a Neurofibromatosis Therapeutics Program founded by OCF Lead Researcher, Dr. Nick Foreman. Therapy is effective at shrinking plexiforms while on medications but there is often recurrence when therapy is stopped. Development of a supplemental therapy is being explored in the Foreman and Mulchay Levy labs with funding from OCF.
#2 - Resistant Braf Driven Tumors: Braf driven tumors sometimes reoccur in children after initially receiving clear scans with targeted therapy. When this happens the Braf driven tumors often become resistant to the targeted therapy. However, our research team discovered that adding an autophagy inhibitor to targeted therapy makes the previously resistant tumor sensitive to the targeted therapy again, thus leading to vastly better survival rates.
#3- FGFR1/FGFR3 Driven Tumors: Tumors driven by the FGFR1 or FGFR3 mutations are rare in children, but extremely deadly. Most children with this diagnosis did not survive the disease, even when treated with conventional chemotherapy. Our research team used OCF's funding to identify these mutations and to develop a targeted oral therapy that has minimal side effects and leads to long-term survival for children who receive this diagnosis. It is important to note that our namesake, Olivia Caldwell, had a low grade glioma (astrocytoma) with an FGFR1 mutation, which is what led to her death at 20 months of age.
#4 - Resistant FGFR1/FGFR3 Driven Tumors: Tumors driven by the FGFR1 or FGFR3 mutations sometimes reoccur in children after initially receiving clear scans with targeted therapy. When this happens the FGFR1/FGFR3 driven tumors often become resistant to targeted therapy. However, our research team discovered once again that adding an autophagy inhibitor to targeted therapy makes the previously resistant tumor sensitive to the targeted therapy again, thus leading to vastly better survival rates.
#5 - NF Driven Tumors (largely found in patients with Neurofibromatosis): Children born with the genetic condition, Neurofibromatosis, can develop tumors all over their body. One extremely common type of NF driven tumor is found largely on the optic pathway, causing blindness. Our research team developed a specific targeted therapy that is very effective in treating these NF driven optic pathway tumors. This treatment is not only extremely effective, but it is also successful in restoring vision.
#6 - NTRK Driven Tumors: This rare type of tumor had also been difficult to treat. Our research team used OCF funding to create a targeted therapy to treat this rare type of tumor. This oral targeted therapy has been very effective and has significantly increased survival rates for children with this diagnosis.
#7 - Pleomorphic xantroastrocytoma (PXA - High Grade Glioma) - Our research team used OCF funding to find an effective treatment for PXA High Grade Gliomas. They found this aggressive high grade tumor can be treated successfully using an oral targeted therapy also used to treat Braf mutations in low grade gliomas. These tumors are often driven by Braf mutations, but Braf specific targeted therapy usually has to have an autophagy inhibitor added to make it effective both initial treatment and at recurrence. This oral targeted therapy provides hope and a treatment option for children for a previously very difficult to treat brain cancer.
#8 - Plexiform Neurofibroma in Neurofibromatosis: Prior to targeted therapy there was no treatment for these soft tissue tumors which were often physically deforming or associated with severe nerve pain. Targeted oral therapy in this group has proven to be the first effective therapy. Over 50 children with plexiforms have been treated with targeted agents by a Neurofibromatosis Therapeutics Program founded by OCF Lead Researcher, Dr. Nick Foreman. Therapy is effective at shrinking plexiforms while on medications but there is often recurrence when therapy is stopped. Development of a supplemental therapy is being explored in the Foreman and Mulchay Levy labs with funding from OCF.
