MRA Meet Ups: Clinical Trials and the Current State of TIL Therapy - TILVANCE-301

Feb 20, 2025

On February 19^th, MRA hosted another installment in the MRA Meet-Ups series, where we regularly connect with the melanoma community to discuss important topics, share insights and experiences, and ask questions. The session, called "Clinical Trials and the Current State of TIL Therapy - TILVANCE-301", featured a melanoma patient-physician duo who shared insights into the clinical trial journey, overviewed the innovation and future of tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy, and highlighted an ongoing clinical trial called TILVANCE-301 (NCT05727904).

Moderated by MRA’s Director of Communications and Engagement Dana Deighton, the discussion featured Dr. Young Ki Hong, Division Head of Surgical Oncology at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University and MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper and patient and clinical trial advocate Jamie Goldfarb. Key takeaways included Jamie's experience with TIL therapy through a clinical trial and the potential for TIL therapy to be established as a first-line treatment through the TILVANCE-301 study.

Topics discussed included:

The importance of clinical trials in medical advancement, emphasizing that they offer patients access to the newest treatments.
The different phases of clinical trials: phase one (safety profile), phase two (efficacy), and phase three (randomized trials comparing new treatments to current standard of care).
TIL therapy as a personalized treatment that uses a patient's own immune cells to fight cancer, unlike other immunotherapies that are non-specific.
Jamie's decision to join a TIL trial, emphasizing the importance of considering clinical trials as a treatment option from the beginning.
An overview of the TILVANCE-301 trial, including the study's overall goals, inclusion/exclusion criteria, and current enrollment status.
Encouraging patients to seek out key opinion leaders, participate in support groups, and look at advocacy groups for information and support.

Learn more about Iovance's TILVANCE-301 trial.