Download Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT)

Immunological cancer therapy
Helping the body to help itself: The Centre for Cancer Immune
Therapy is focusing on kickstarting cancer patients’ immune systems to fight the disease. It works in a necessary and close cooperation with research colleagues from other European countries.
The Centre for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT) at Herlev Hospital is the only research
centre in Denmark that works with immunotherapy for cancer patients. The centre is
investigating how the immune system reacts to cancer and is trying to establish the
defects which cause the immune system not to detect cancer cells and destroy them.
“Since we’re the only institution in Denmark which is active in this field, it’s all the
more important that we collaborate closely with foreign research groups working on
immunotherapy to treat cancer. We work primarily with European institutions and
are active in both basic and clinical research,” explains Professor Inge Marie Svane,
and she elaborates:
“Internationally, the groups complement each other with their different skills; our
strengths lie in different types of analyses and, in addition, we can provide patients
to participate in each other’s projects. The different studies require a certain volume
of patients to ensure valid results. Furthermore, we need wider cooperation to advance
in our research. When applying for international funding, it is necessary to present
large-scale research projects, and we’re only able to do this in cooperation with others.”
A short step from laboratory to hospital
Established in 2006, CCIT has since led the way in research on the immune system
in relation to cancer. The centre studies both cell-based immunotherapy involving
dendritic cells and T cells, both of which play a role in the human immune system.
Moreover, the centre is developing an actual cancer vaccine and already has promising
results to show after the earliest clinical trials. Many lung cancer patients will be able
to benefit from quiet periods where the disease is inactive following vaccination, and
analyses show that the vaccine – as hoped – regulates the immune system.
“We’re working specifically towards swift clinical implementation of new immunotherapies and are able to implement new treatments just a few weeks after data is published. For example, we were able to implement treatment against malignant melanoma using a human antibody molecule only three weeks after the phase III study was
published,” says Inge Marie Svane.
T cell therapy
Professor Svane draws attention to another of CCIT’s major achievements. Today, the
centre is leading the way in Europe with T cell therapy, where T cells are removed from
patients with malignant melanoma and are manipulated to be able to attack cancer
cells and reproduce much faster.
“We’re the first in Europe to introduce the therapy into clinical practice. Very few places in the world are in a position – like we are – to manage both intensive patient care
and the work of removing, manipulating and re-forming T cells. The results so far are
very promising, and we have now taken on a leading role in managing the large-scale
clinical trial required for European Medicines Agency approval of this form of therapy
and its subsequent implementation in the rest of Europe,” says Inge Marie Svane. She
adds that researchers at CCIT expect to have collected the necessary data by 2016-2017.
The Centre for Cancer
Immune Therapy (CCIT)
at a glance
CCIT, situated at Herlev Hospital,
University of Copenhagen, was
established in 2006 and has a
staff of 25, including three professors. CCIT aims to bridge the gap
between research and implementation of new cancer immunotherapies. It has a high research
output and participates in countless research projects, mainly at
European level. CCIT won a Global
Excellence award in 2013.
Facts about Global Excellence – in Health
Facts about the Capital Region of Denmark
The Global Excellence programme seeks to recognise and
highlight the leading research and therapy environments
in the field of healthcare in the hospitals and universities
of the Capital Region of Denmark. The programme was
established in 2010 in close cooperation with the University of Copenhagen and The Technical University of Denmark (DTU). The purpose of this initiative is to encourage
internationalisation of the Region’s excellent research and
therapy environments with a view to attracting international
partners, researchers, talents and both private-sector and
public funding for research. The programme comprises the
awarding of one or two prizes each year, followed up with
focused support in the form of consultancy, tools, website
development, conferences, etc.
The Capital Region of Denmark is one of five regional administrative units in Denmark. The Capital Region of Denmark, provides healthcare, mental healthcare, carries out
research and regional development for 1.7 mio. people or
approx. 30% of the population in Denmark. In addition to
hosting the largest health care system in Denmark, the
region is also home to one of the world’s strongest life science clusters, and 70% of Denmark’s biotech companies
are located in the area.
The Global Excellence award is given to the hospital and
university environments in the region that perform first-rate
international level research leading to the development and
implementation of new, pioneering healthcare services,
treatment methods and products for the benefit of patients.
The selected Global Excellence environments have been
chosen by the executive committee of the Capital Region of
Denmark on the basis of evaluations by a specialist review
committee of national as well as international experts. The
awardees are characterized by unique efforts within one or
more areas such as: The extent and quality of their research
and development, teaching, examination and treatment
of patients, and innovation and dissemination of the new
knowledge. In addition to the Global Excellence distinction,
which is valid for a period of five years, the awardees each
receive a grant of EUR 200,000 to help strengthen and further their international profile.
The Capital Region is home to a number of specialist environments at the nine university hospitals in the region that
perform world-class health research and have the ability
to translate this new, innovative knowledge into pioneering health care services and treatment of the highest international standard. In order to highlight and acknowledge
these environments, in 2010 – 2013 the Global Excellence
– in Health award has been presented to a total of 22 hospital and university environments.
Denmark is in fourth place among the OECD countries
regarding scientific publications per inhabitant and similarly
in third place regarding citations. Accordingly health research
in the Capital Region ranks among the best in Europe. In
close collaboration with the University of Copenhagen, The
Technological University of Denmark, the Capital Region of
Denmark represents frontline health science and clinical
research, together with research of high quality in other
areas with relevans for development of future healthcare.
Health research is carried out for approx. EUR 185,000,000
annually at the university hospitals in the region (including
internal as well as external funds).
Sources: OECD Territorial Reviews: Copenhagen,
Denmark (OECD, 2009); Research Barometer
2012 (Danish Agency for Science, Technology
and Innovation, 2012)
Global Excellence logo design: Refleksdesign • Layout: RegionH Design / 17516
Photography: Jon Norddahl • Translation: In English / Nancy Aaen
Professor Inge Marie Svane, Centre for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT), Herlev Hospital