A groundbreaking clinical trial investigating the use of immunotherapy for colorectal cancer has launched in Nigeria, representing the first such study in Sub-Saharan Africa. The trial will offer free treatment to patients at Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital (OAUTH) in Ile-Ife, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), and Medserve’s NSIA-Diagnostic Centre in Lagos.
The initiative, announced on World Cancer Day, focuses on patients with a specific genetic profile: mismatch-repair-deficient colorectal cancer. Researchers will explore the PD-1 blockade, a type of immunotherapy that harnesses the patient’s own immune system to target cancer cells. This approach is distinct from traditional chemotherapy and is a key area of modern oncology research.
The trial is a collaborative effort led by Nigerian institutions and international partners. Experts from Obafemi Awolowo University and LUTH are working alongside teams from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre in the United States, a global leader in cancer care. Memorial Sloan Kettering serves as the study sponsor and data coordinating centre. BeOne Medicines will supply the immunotherapy drug, tislelizumab, while BioVentures for Global Health supports regulatory processes.
Professor Olusegun Alatise, a Professor of Surgery at Obafemi Awolowo University and National Director of the African Research Group for Oncology, spearheads the Nigerian component. He highlighted the severe burden of colorectal cancer in the country, noting that less than half of diagnosed patients survive beyond one year. “This trial marks an important milestone,” Prof. Alatise stated, emphasizing its potential to provide novel treatments for patients with limited therapeutic options due to genetic mutations.
The research protocol has secured essential approvals from Nigeria’s National Health Research Ethics Committee and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), ensuring the study meets both national ethical standards and international compliance.
With patient enrollment now open, individuals managing colorectal cancer are encouraged to present at OAUTH, LUTH, or the Medserve diagnostic centre for screening and potential inclusion in the trial. The commencement of this study on World Cancer Day underscores a coordinated push to improve cancer outcomes through scientific innovation and international partnership, directly addressing a critical and growing health challenge in Nigeria and the wider region.
