Project Overview

Gliomas are a type of brain tumor that pose a significant health concern due to their severity. Some of these tumors have alterations, known as mutations, in genes called IDH1 or IDH2 which affect how the tumor behaves and grows. Vorasidenib is a promising new medicine that is being studied to treat these tumors by targeting the IDH1 and IDH2 mutations. However, not all patients respond the same way to this treatment, especially those with more aggressive tumors.

Therefore, we are interested in looking for ways to make vorasidenib more effective, possibly by combining it with other treatments. Our research focuses on two main ideas. First, we are exploring how vorasidenib affects how tumor cells handle fats and cholesterol, which are important for cell growth. We will test whether combining vorasidenib with drugs that affect fats and cholesterol could help fight the tumors. Secondly, we are investigating the role of molecules that control how genes are turned on and off in tumor cells. We will explore whether drugs that target these molecules can be combined with vorasidenib to eliminate glioma cells.

Overall, our research could help develop new combination therapies that can improve patient outcomes and eradicate gliomas with IDH1 and IDH2 mutations.

Principal Investigator

Sumaiyah Saleek , McGill University

Partners and Donors

Henry and Berenice Kaufmann Foundation