At the 2024 Congress of Neurological Surgeons in Houston, Dr. Joseph Georges, an Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Arizona, received the Rosenblum-Mahaley Clinical Research Award. The recognition was given for his work on a promising new treatment for glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.
Dr. Georges’ research focuses on an experimental vaccine developed by Diakonos Oncology, called DOC1021. His presentation, titled “Vaccination by Homologous Antigenic Loading as Adjuvant Therapy for Glioblastoma: Early Analysis of Phase 1 Results,” highlighted findings from a Phase 1 trial. In the study, 93% of the 15 patients evaluated survived more than 12 months after treatment—an encouraging result given glioblastoma’s typically poor prognosis.
Dr. Georges, who is the lead investigator for the trial, said that developing effective treatments for glioblastoma has been a significant challenge. “This vaccine takes a unique approach by using the patient’s immune system to fight the cancer. Seeing these results and the difference it’s made in patients’ lives is incredibly rewarding, and I’m hopeful about its potential to improve outcomes going forward.”
Mike Wicks, CEO of Diakonos Oncology, said the company is excited about the recognition of Dr. Georges’ work and plans to advance the vaccine into further trials later this year.