Shirish Gadgeel, M.D., professor of Oncology for the Wayne State University School of Medicine and leader of the Thoracic Oncology Multidisciplinary Team at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, has been named the recipient of the 2015 Kales Award in Oncology from Karmanos for his significant research initiatives.
The award recognizes Dr. Gadgeel for his article, "Safety and activity of alectinib against systemic disease and brain metastases in patients with crizotinib-resistant ALK-rearranged non-small-cell lung cancer (AF-002JG): results from the dose-finding portion of a phase 1/2 study," which was published in The Lancet Oncology in 2014.
Dr. Gadgeel was a joint author of the article with Leena Gandhi, M.D., of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School.
The Kales Award in Oncology is given annually to WSU faculty members with membership at the Karmanos Cancer Institute. It is supported by the Drs. Anthony and Joyce Danielski Kales Endowed Faculty Award for Innovative Cancer Research Endowment. Selection is based on a comprehensive review of published articles within the previous year.
One of the major developments in the field of thoracic oncology in the last few years has been the identification of driver genetic alterations. Targeting these genetic alterations has provided clinical benefit for advanced lung cancer patients. One such alteration is ALK translocation. The first generation ALK inhibitor crizotinib has provided meaningful clinical benefit. However, almost all patients eventually have disease progression, particularly in the brain.
"There was a need to identify a drug that could provide benefit to ALK-positive patients who had disease progression on crizotinib," Dr. Gadgeel said. "Alectinib is a more potent inhibitor of ALK and in pre-clinical studies had shown clinical benefit in tumors resistant to crizotinib. We therefore conducted a phase I trial to establish the appropriate dose and assess preliminary efficacy in ALK positive NSCLC patients who had disease progression on crizotinib."
The results of the study were very promising and led to the drug receiving breakthrough designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Roche, the sponsor of the drug, has recently filed a new application to get the drug approved for these patients. The results of Dr. Gadgeel's study form an important component of this application.
"This award is for the best publication by a Karmanos faculty member," Dr. Gadgeel said. "I have tremendous respect for the scientists and clinicians at Karmanos, an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center. To be judged by my peers to have published the most important or the best publication among the ones published by this esteemed faculty means a lot to me. Receiving this award has not only been extremely satisfying, but also has provided a huge incentive to work even harder as a clinician scientist."
Dr. Gadgeel will share his research at 4:30 p.m. Oct. 29 during grand rounds. During the presentation, he will receive a plaque and monetary award.