BHP members the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Aston University have come together with the Brazilian Aeronautics Institute of Technology (ITA) to found Biomedical Technologies for Regenerative Orthopaedics (BioTROCS) – a group aiming to advance research in the development, characterisation, and pre-clinical and clinical evaluation of novel biomaterials for bone regeneration and bone cancer applications.

ITA, Aston University and the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital have already been collaborating for several years to explore the use of gallium in treating bone cancer patients, and the formalisation of this alliance will make it easier for the three organisations to secure funding to further this ground-breaking research.

Dr Lucas Souza, Dubrowsky Regenerative Medicine Laboratory Manager at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, commented: “Collaboration is the core principle for groundbreaking research and solving real-world problems requires a multidisciplinary approach. BioTROCS is the officialisation of a long-term international collaboration between Brazil- and UK-based physicists, chemists, biologists and clinical researchers that has already made significant contributions to the advancement of technologies for the treatment of bone disorders such as critical-sized bone defects and bone tumours.

“This new phase represents the first step to establishing a strategic partnership that aims to facilitate the flow of researchers, materials, and data between participating institutions to foster an even richer research environment to accelerate discoveries in the field of biomaterials for bone regeneration and bone cancer.”

The new research group has successfully secured funding to further the group’s development of an injectable paste for use in bone cancer surgeries. The funding includes a PhD scholarship in Brazil, with the student also coming to Aston University for a 12-month placement.

Professor Dr Joao Lopes, Aeronautics Institute of Brazil, added: “The formalisation of the BioTROCS group is a key step in strengthening international scientific cooperation and represents a strategic opportunity to expand our research efforts in cutting-edge therapies for bone regeneration and bone cancer treatment. This partnership between institutions in Brazil and the UK not only enhances the development of novel biomaterials and advanced therapies, but also significantly increases our ability to secure funding from agencies that offer exclusive calls for international collaborative projects. In addition to enabling the exchange of researchers and knowledge, BioTROCS fosters a more dynamic innovation ecosystem that supports the development of high-impact clinical and technological solutions.”

Professor Richard Martin, Aston University, commented: “Aston University and the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital have successfully collaborated for five years in this area of research and the formation of an international research group will help drive forward the use of biomaterials for bone regeneration and bone cancer.

“This area of research has huge potential – for example in September 2024, our tests found that bioactive glasses doped with gallium have a 99% success rate of eliminating cancerous cells and can even regenerate diseased bones. My team at Aston University is looking forward to hosting the new PhD researcher who will help further advance our research.”

Researchers at BHP founder-members University Hospitals Birmingham have contributed to new findings showing that patients with Cutaneous (skin) T-cell Lymphoma (CTCL) experienced improved overall survival when treated with mogamulizumab, known by its brand name POTELIGEO.

CTCL is a rare type of cancer that begins in the white blood cells and affects the skin, causing rashes and slightly raised or scaly round patches. The most common types are mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome, with around 150 people diagnosed in the UK each year.

Individual’s experiences with CTCL can vary wildly – many people experience only a mild form that is not life-threatening and can be managed for years, while a smaller number develop a more serious form. Treatments either target the skin directly, using creams, light therapy, or radiotherapy, or are given as tablets or injections that circulate in the blood and work throughout the body.

POTELIGEO (mogamulizumab) is a prescription medicine given by injection into a vein and is used to treat mycosis fungoides or Sézary syndrome in adults whose disease has returned or who have not responded to at least one other treatment (oral or injectable).

Now in its tenth year, the PROCLIPI Study is the largest international study of its kind, involving 2,547 patients across 19 countries. It collects information on tests, scans, treatments, quality of life, and survival from CTCL patients, with the aim of developing a tool (known as a prognostic index) to predict outcomes for people with the disease.

The latest research confirmed that patients with advanced-stage disease treated with POTELIGEO experienced improved overall survival, with a median overall survival of 64 months compared to 54 months for patients who did not receive the treatment.

Professor Julia Scarisbrick, Consultant Dermatologist at UHB and Chief Investigator, said: “The PROCLIPI Study demonstrates the power of global collaboration in rare diseases. By bringing together data from across the world, we can generate insights that simply wouldn’t be possible in isolation.

“We are proud to coordinate this initiative here in Birmingham in partnership with Prof Kim at Stanford University, California, as we’re working to build rigorous scientific evidence while giving patients and their families a better understanding of what long-term survival looks like.”

Alexandra Mars, a 51-year-old patient at UHB’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital took part in the study, and said: “I have had tumour mycosis fungoides for over 10 years. I was most recently treated with mogamulizumab for two years and had no significant side effects. It appears to have put my disease to sleep, and I have not been on any medication since February. It is amazing to finally be able to have a break from treatment, which is so tiring, and not have to think about this disease.”

Due to the rarity of CTCL and its wide variation in presentation and progression, enrolling patients in clinical trials can be challenging. Despite these difficulties, growing evidence is helping doctors understand which treatments may be most beneficial.

Patients in Birmingham who have advanced head and neck cancers may be eligible to take part in a new clinical trial of a potential cancer vaccine, supported by the NHS Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad (CVLP).

Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, part of BHP founder-members University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB), is one of 15 sites across the country aiming to recruit more than 100 patients over the next year.

The investigational cancer vaccine in this latest trial on the platform uses mRNA technology to help the immune system recognise and kill cancer cells which express human papillomavirus (HPV) proteins.

The first head and neck cancer patients in England have received the investigational mRNA cancer vaccine in the clinical trial, known as AHEAD-MERIT (BNT113-01), with more patients to soon be enrolled at their nearest NHS hospital. 

More than 11,000 new head and neck cancer cases are diagnosed in England every year, with cancers typically developing in the mouth, throat or voice box.  

Despite advances in care for patients with head and neck cancer, the advanced form of the disease is difficult to treat and has high rates of recurrence, with two-year survival rates at under 50%.

The investigational cancer vaccine is designed to encode two proteins that are frequently found in head and neck squamous cell cancers associated with human papillomavirus (HPV-16). This is the most common type of head and neck cancer, accounting for 95% of these types of cancers, and the vaccine aims to train the immune system to fight the cancer.

NHS England is partnering with life sciences company BioNTech to help identify potentially eligible patients to refer to NHS hospitals running the clinical trial.

Dr Paul Sanghera, Consultant Oncologist and Principal Investigator of the trial at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, said: “This clinical trial marks an important step forward in the search for better treatments for advanced head and neck cancers, which remain a significant challenge in oncology.

“These cancers are notoriously difficult to treat, and access to this investigational vaccine could offer patients a potential new option in their treatment journey. While we are still in the early stages, the hope is that this trial will pave the way for improved outcomes for those living with these challenging conditions.”

Matthew Metcalfe, Hospital Executive Director at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, said: “We are incredibly proud to be one of the 15 sites across the country taking part in this important clinical trial. It reflects our ongoing commitment to driving forward research aimed at improving outcomes for patients in Birmingham and beyond, offering new hope to those facing these challenging diagnoses.”

Dr Iain Foulkes, Executive Director of Research and Innovation at Cancer Research UK, said: “It’s great to see more clinical trials of vaccines for head and neck cancer supported by the Cancer Research UK-funded Southampton Clinical Trials Unit.

“Research into personalised cancer treatments is vital. There are over 200 different types of cancer and it’s unlikely there will ever be a single cure that works for everyone. That’s why it’s vital that we support a wide range of research, so that more people can live longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer.”

More cancer vaccines news from across BHP

• Adding dendritic cell vaccine to liver cancer therapy slows disease progression
• Birmingham opens Europe’s first pancreatic cancer mRNA vaccine trial
• World-first colorectal cancer vaccine trial treats first UK patient in Birmingham