TGF-beta inhibition as a novel therapeutic option in Osteosarcoma

Kristen VanHeyst, DO from UH Rainbows Babies and Children's Hospital discusses and shares updates regarding a Phase I/II multi-centered, multi-continental trial, to assess the safety and efficacy of Vactosertib in adolescents and adults with recurrent, refractory or progressive osteosarcoma.Dr. Kristen VanHeyst is a pediatric hematologist/oncologist and a translational therapeutics-oriented physician scientist. She completed her clinical fellowship in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology in 2019 and was appointed Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine at that time. She has been a member of the Alex Huang, MD, PhD laboratory since 2017. Dr. VanHeyst has focused her research efforts on understanding the role of the tumor microenvironment in osteosarcoma and how immunotherapy could be a novel therapeutic option for patients with this disease. Additionally, she is the Principal Investigator of a Phase I/II investigator initiated clinical trial at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital. She is also the Principal Investigator of a Phase I/II multi-centered, multi-continental clinical trial designed in collaboration with MedPacto, Inc for patients with relapsed/refractory osteosarcoma.  For these efforts, she was the recipient of an NIH K12 award as well as multiple foundation awards from Hyundai Hope on Wheels, MIB Agents, CureSearch and CURE Childhood Cancer. She is currently a member of the Children’s Oncology Group Bone Tumor Committee.LMAdd a comment