Sixteen Researchers from Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute Share Cancer Care Discoveries at 2024 ASCO® Annual Meeting

Fort Myers, Fla., May 29, 2024 – Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, LLC (FCS) physicians will present findings from multiple clinical studies that are contributing to global advancements in cancer care at the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO®) Annual Meeting in Chicago. Clinical research, in collaboration with Sarah Cannon Research Institute (SCRI), originating from trials conducted at the three FCS Phase 1 Drug Development Units and late-phase studies at FCS clinics throughout Florida are among those being published or presented during the five-day international gathering of oncology physicians and professionals.

“It is gratifying to see how FCS continues to expand the understanding of cancer worldwide,” said FCS President & Managing Physician Lucio N. Gordan, MD. “Our clinical research efforts are patient centric. Each discovery enables us to target treatments with greater precision and impact for patients.”

Manish Patel, MD, FCS director of drug development, notes that much of the clinical research being presented is focused on targeted treatments and biological combinations. Dr. Patel said, “The phase 1/2 trials offered at FCS provide patients early access to the most promising therapies and consistently lead to expedited FDA approvals that expand availability on a global scale.”

Several FCS principal investigators are first authors of four abstracts that will be presented throughout the meeting:

• Manish Patel, MD
  • Preliminary results from a phase 1 study of AC699, an orally bioavailable chimeric estrogen receptor degrader, in patients with advanced or metastatic breast cancer
  • Safety and preliminary efficacy of EIK1001 in combination with atezolizumab in participants with advanced solid tumors.
  • Patel is a co-author of eight additional presentations
• Judy Wang, MD, FCS associate director of drug development
  • Phase 1/2 study of NGM707, an ILT2/ILT4 dual antagonist antibody, in advanced solid tumors: Interim results from dose-escalation.
  • She also is first author of the published abstract, A novel oral microtubule inhibitor utidelone capsule (UTD2): A phase 1 clinical study to assess the tolerability, safety, and efficacy in advanced solid tumors, of which Dr. Manish Patel is a co-author.
  • Wang is also a co-author of six additional presentations
• Maen Hussein, MD – NALIRIFOX versus nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine in treatment-naïve patients with metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (mPDAC): Updated overall survival analysis with 29-month follow-up of NAPOLI 3.

FCS hematologist and medical oncologist Cesar Augusto Perez, MD will present an oral education session titled, “Emerging Data for Antibody Drug Conjugates in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.”

The following FCS principal investigators will have their abstracts presented during oral presentations of research results and other clinical findings which they have co-authored:

• Kapisthalam Kumar, MD, FACP – Are we bridging the gap? A ten-year probe into NIH grants for early-career and independent investigators in oncology.
• Manish Patel, MD – Safety and preliminary efficacy of EIK1001 in combination with pembrolizumab in participants with advanced solid tumors
• Vipul Patel, MD – Primary results from the phase 3 EVOKE-01 study of sacituzumab govitecan (SG) vs docetaxel (doc) in patients (pts) with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (mNSCLC) previously treated with platinum (PT)-based chemotherapy (chemo) and PD(L)-1inhibitors (IO).
• Cesar Augusto Perez, MD, Amir Harandi, MD, MS – Phase 2 study of petosemtamab (MCLA-158) with pembrolizumab as first-line (1L) treatment of recurrent/metastatic (r/m) head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC)
• Cesar Augusto Perez, MD – Updated phase 1 results of efficacy and safety of sigvotatug vedotin, an investigational ADC, in non-small cell lung cancer
• FCS Associate Director of Drug Development Judy Wang, MD, Gail Lynn Shaw Wright, MD, FACP, FCCP, Fadi Kayali, MD — H3B-6545 in women with locally advanced/metastatic estrogen receptor-positive (ER+), HER2 negative (–) breast cancer (BC).

“We’re winning. We’re beating cancer,” said Bradley Monk, MD, gynecologic oncologist and FCS medical director of late-phase clinical research. “Our discoveries through clinical trials are helping patients live longer and better lives.” Dr. Monk is co-author of four presentations at ASCO, including the results of the international phase 3 OUTBACK trial of racial disparities and survival outcome of patients with locally advanced cervix cancer.

Results from additional FCS co-authors will also be presented in various sessions, 26 in total, highlighting a variety of cancer types and treatment modalities:

• Faithlore Gardner, MD
• Todd Gersten, MD
• Lucio N. Gordan, MD with FCS Senior Director of Partnerships, Managed Care Kiana Mehring
• Joel Grossman, MD
• Elizabeth Guancial, MD

“Our commitment to oncology research is stronger than ever and clearly demonstrated by sheer volume of abstracts presented by FCS researchers at this global symposium,” stated FCS Chief Executive Officer Nathan H. Walcker. “The insights and breakthroughs revealed here fortify our resolve to tirelessly innovate and improve outcomes for patients worldwide.”

FCS will be featured in 37 presentations and publications over the course of the conference. All abstracts and presentations are available to view at ASCO® 2024 Annual Meeting.

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO®) represents nearly 50,000 physicians and oncology professionals representing 150 countries who care for people living with all forms of cancer. ASCO® works to conquer cancer through research, education, policy and promotion of high quality and equitable patient care.

View a full list of the FCS abstracts presented here: FLCancer.com/FCS-2024-ASCO-Presentations-052924.pdf