Eighth Annual Cancer Immunotherapy Month™ in June Celebrates Progress in Treatment and Advances in Research

The Cancer Research Institute (CRI), a nonprofit organization dedicated since 1953 to saving more lives by fueling the discovery and development of powerful immunotherapies for all types of cancer, announced today a series of public education and awareness offerings during its eighth annual Cancer Immunotherapy Month™ in June. The multimedia campaign aims to reach more than 5 million people globally to increase awareness of cancer immunotherapy (also known as immuno-oncology), clinical trials, and the urgent need for more funding to support lifesaving immunotherapy research.

“Decades of scientific research on the immune system and its response to cancer have yielded a foundation for new treatments that can significantly extend or save lives for subsets of people with cancer who receive immunotherapy alone or in combination with other types of treatment,” said Jill O’Donnell-Tormey, PhD, CEO and director of scientific affairs at CRI. “More research is needed to extend the benefits of immunotherapy to all cancer patients, and our goal is to raise awareness of the critical role patients, caregivers, advocates, scientists, and donors who support their research play in advancing immuno-oncology breakthroughs.”

Over the past ten years, the FDA has approved immunotherapies to treat more than 20 types of cancer as well as cancers with a specific genetic mutation. This includes approvals for front-line therapy, where immunotherapy is given as the first course of treatment instead of conventional chemotherapy or radiation. Immunotherapy has also been shown to work synergistically with these and other treatments, offering more options for patients.

Cancer Immunotherapy Month™ aims to bring exciting advances like these into focus and to provide the public, including cancer patients and their caregivers, with trusted information to help them make the most informed treatment decisions in consultation with their medical team.

Important highlights of Cancer Immunotherapy Month include:

“I’m the Answer to Cancer” Immunotherapy Patient Stories
Each week in June, CRI will feature video stories of patients sharing their cancer immunotherapy journeys, from diagnosis to treatment to living beyond treatment. Featured cancer types include esophageal, kidney, lung, and oral cancer.

Wear White for a Future Immune to Cancer
On Friday, June 12, CRI invites the world to Wear White for a Future #Immune2Cancer to help raise awareness about the lifesaving potential of immunotherapy through the community-building power of social media. Getting involved is simple: wear white, snap and share a selfie on Twitter or Instagram, and use the hashtag #Immune2Cancer.

Live Stream Event: COVID-19 and Cancer Immunotherapy Research
On Thursday, June 18, at 3pm EDT, CRI immunotherapy experts Drs. Carl June, Miriam Merad, and E. John Wherry will join STAT news’ senior medical writer, Matthew Herper, for a live stream event discussing how cancer immunotherapy research is aiding global efforts to treat COVID-19 patients and prevent future outbreaks. The discussion will be followed with a live Q&A session. Register at cancerresearch.org/covid-19-livestream.

Live Webinar – Cancer Immunotherapy and You™: Understanding Genomics and Genetic Testing
On Wednesday, June 24, at 12pm EDT, CRI will host a free, live webinar featuring Drs. Corrie Painter and Eliezer Van Allen of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, who will discuss how genetic testing is helping inform cancer treatment decisions and how scientists are working to tap the full potential of genome-based medicine, followed by their answers to questions submitted by viewers. Register at cancerresearch.org/webinars.

Other Awareness, Educational, and Fundraising Activities
Throughout June, CRI will also provide daily immunotherapy highlights from the ASCO and AACR virtual meetings, share a series of 30 Outlooks from CRI scientists, patient community members, and donors about their vision for the future of cancer treatment, and offer an interactive cancer immunotherapy quiz. Cancer Immunotherapy Month activity will be shared across social media with the hashtag #CIM20. Finally, through June 30, all donations to CRI up to the first $300,000 will be matched dollar-for-dollar, helping to fuel more discovery to save more lives.

The Cancer Research Institute would like to thank the following generous sponsors of the eighth annual Cancer Immunotherapy Month:

• GOLD: Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb, Merck
• SILVER: Abbvie, Arthrex, Exelixis, Genentech, GSK, Hexcel, Lilly Oncology, Nektar Therapeutics
• BRONZE: AER, Alkermes, ImaginAb, Viking Steel Structures
• CONTRIBUTORS: Agenus, Alpine Immune Sciences, Maverick Therapeutics, Novartis, Pfizer, W2O Group

Media Contact: Brian M. Brewer, +1.212.688.7515 x242, [email protected]

About the Cancer Research Institute
The Cancer Research Institute (CRI), established in 1953, is the world’s leading nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to saving more lives by fueling the discovery and development of powerful immunotherapies for all types of cancer. Guided by a world-renowned Scientific Advisory Council that includes four Nobel laureates and 26 members of the National Academy of Sciences, CRI has invested $420 million in support of research conducted by immunologists and tumor immunologists at the world’s leading medical centers and universities, and has contributed to many of the key scientific advances that demonstrate the potential for immunotherapy to change the face of cancer treatment. To learn more, go to cancerresearch.org or to see the full roster of Cancer Immunotherapy Month programs, go to cancerresearch.org/june.

Cancer Immunotherapy Month hashtag: #CIM20
Wear White Day hashtag: #Immune2Cancer