Inaugurated in June 2010, thanks to the support received from the ”la Caixa” Foundation, VHIO’s Research Unit for Molecular Therapy of Cancer (UITM) – CaixaResearch is dedicated to complex clinical trials with drugs in early development (phase I and early phase II trials), focusing on novel targets. Occupying a total surface area of 1000 m², our Unit is located within the General Area of the Vall d’Hebron University Hospital (HUVH), Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus.

This privileged environment with direct access to patients, coupled with VHIO’s translational approach to research and superb scientific framework, has enabled our Unit to rapidly establish itself as one of the few comprehensive facilities in Europe to rapidly transform latest discovery into benefits for patients. Our UITM – CaixaResearch incorporates a multidisciplinary team comprised of medical oncologists, clinical trial coordinators and data managers, nurses and nurse technicians, pharmacists, as well as administrative personnel.

By promoting tight connectivity between oncology care and research we establish novel treatment models for patients with highly selective drugs, and advance insights into tumor types and how to treat them in an individualized way – getting the right therapy to the right patient, at the right time. As the statistics show, we continue to do so for an increasing number of patients.

For another year, we have had to rapidly adjust to overcome the many challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. All our efforts have focused on successfully maintaining our clinical research activities and continuing to include patients in our clinical trials. During 2021, our Unit participated in 207 ongoing phase I clinical trials, 27 of which are Basket trials (a 6% increase compared with 2020).

Our facilities, coupled with our multidisciplinary clinical teams, enable us to continue to expand our portfolio of phase I studies with 551 patients enrolled (a 6% increase compared with 2020). This year we opened 66 new trials; 5 as Baskets.

Research carried out at our Unit by VHIO’s Early Clinical Drug Development Group, directed by Elena Garralda, centers on the development of new drugs based on the molecular profile of each tumor as well as the optimization of treatment regimens using combinations of new agents with those that already exist.

Reflective of VHIO’s purely translational model, our studies are also linked to several research lines led by other VHIO groups, thus connecting molecular biology and optimal tumor models with pharmacology and innovative clinical research. VHIO scientists collaborate in our trials to facilitate biomarker development, a deep understanding of the mechanism of action, as well as research into mechanisms of cancer drug resistance.

We also participate in VHIO’s Molecular Prescreening Program, that performs molecular analyses of patients’ tumors to select the best possible treatment with the experimental therapeutics available. Thanks to our Cancer Genomics Group (PI: Ana Vivancos) and their development of existing applications including an n-Counter (Nanostring) platform, two digital PCR platforms (BEAMing Sysmex and ddPCR, BIO-RAD), and two NextGen Sequencers; MiSeq and HiSeq2500 (Illumina), we are equipped to perform faster and more precise mutational analyses of tumor suppressor genes as well as translocations and gene amplifications.

Excellent patient treatment and care as well as pioneering research is also made possible thanks to the collaboration of many other oncology professionals including our team of Clinical Research Oncology Nurses led by Ángeles Peñuelas, pathologists from the Vall d’Hebron University Hospital’s Molecular Pathology Department, radiologists and interventional radiologists, our Clinical Trials Office directed by Marta Beltran, Database Managers, VHIO’s Clinical Research Oncology Pharmacy Unit headed by Isabel Cidoncha, our Quality & Processes Unit headed by Gemma Sala, as well as many other healthcare specialists including dermatologists, cardiologists, and ophthalmologists.