BATON ROUGE – Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center has announced the enrollment of its first patients in phase 1 clinical trials.
The facility’s inaugural phase 1 trial is designed to enhance care for patients diagnosed with diffuse large B cell lymphoma, a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that is common and highly aggressive. From 2017-2020, there were 357 patients diagnosed with the disease in Louisiana.
Phase 1 clinical trials are the earliest stage of testing for new therapies in humans, often involving a small number of participants. Later phase clinical trials expand to larger groups of patients.
“Phase 1 trials require a level of expertise and resources only available at the highest-performing cancer centers, offer patients additional options for treatment, and help raise the standard of cancer care in a region when they are offered,” said a Mary Bird Perkins spokesperson.
Victor Lin, Mary Bird Perkins’ medical director for clinical research, is responsible for the expansion of trial offerings.
“Phase 1 trials are new and exciting, but they require meticulous attention to detail and vigilance to appropriately safeguard our patients,” said Lin. “With support and generosity from the local community, Mary Bird Perkins has made a substantial investment in the infrastructure required to undertake these complex protocols. We are committed to bringing more access to high-quality clinical trials to the Gulf South, with a particular emphasis on ensuring that the patients we enroll will more accurately reflect our diverse community. The data we gather contributes to global research efforts, ultimately benefiting individuals worldwide.”
“Mary Bird Perkins was founded by residents of Louisiana to provide access to leading cancer therapies and technologies,” said Jonas Fontenot, Mary Bird Perkins president and chief executive officer. “Our team continues to set the standard for high-quality cancer care and research throughout the region. The phase 1 clinical trials program being developed by Dr. Lin and his team marks the latest milestone in our commitment to improve survivorship and lessen the burden of cancer.”
