Gregory Friedman, M.D., a professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s and Children’s of Alabama’s Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, has been awarded $100,000 from the Rally Foundation to advance his clinical trials and research on treatments for brain tumors in children.
Pediatric patients with cancerous gliomas normally survive for 18 months despite surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. At recurrence, survival is less than six months. Friedman is hoping to find a less toxic alternative to chemotherapy.
Friedman is currently conducting a phase 1 trial that has seen encouraging results, with 11 of 12 patients responding to the therapy he has developed.
Rally has been supporting Friedman’s work since 2013, and hopes its continued support will provide bridge funding to expedite the research to phase 2, in which Friedman will test various therapy combinations to improve anti-tumor immune response.
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Children’s of Alabama
Birmingham, AL