Oncoheroes Biosciences And The Scott Carter Foundation Are Onboard To End Childhood Cancer
Childhood cancer is considered a rare disease that accounts for about 1% of all U.S. cancer diagnoses. Because of improved tumor detection and treatment advances in recent decades, 84% of children with cancer now survive 5 years or more. However, cancer is still the first cause of death by disease among children in the U.S and 95.5% of the survivors will suffer from chronic health conditions by the age of 45. Oncoheroes Biosciences is working to reverse this situation by developing new pediatric oncology medicines.
We are excited to announce the investment of the Scott Carter Foundation (SCF), a childhood cancer non-profit located in Tulsa, Oklahoma founded in memory of Scott Carter, a 13-year old boy who died of osteosarcoma after a courageous three-year battle. During his fight against the disease, Scott built a remarkable collection of sports and celebrity memorabilia which he called “Scott Carter’s Heroes”. His dream was to display the collection for the enjoyment of the public and to raise money for children’s cancer research.
“It is appalling to note that a child diagnosed today would likely receive exactly the same treatment that was given to our son Scott as he battled bone cancer over thirty years ago. Today we have been given an opportunity of which we could only dream - the opportunity to become partners with a biotech company that is 100% focused on pediatric cancers,” stated Paula Carter, co-founder and Executive Director of the Scott Carter Foundation. “It is with great pride and pleasure that the SCF has decided to join the efforts of Oncoheroes Biosciences so that we may move forward together, into the future with more hope than ever before of finding a cure for every child”.
The Scott Carter Foundation has focused its efforts on finding a cure for every child for over 28 years. In their attempt to “research the research”, they have found that thousands of research doctors across the US, Europe, and Canada give their lives to the search for a cure. Many, if not most of the greatest research projects remain underfunded. Thus, the Scott Carter Foundation has supported research fellowships at several institutions including M.D. Anderson, Texas Children’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, Duke University Medical Center among others. This is the first time the SCF is investing in a biotech company.
“What an exciting Childhood Cancer Awareness Month! Scott Carter Foundation is the fourth foundation joining Oncoheroes within the last three weeks,” said Ricardo Garcia, co-founder, and CEO of Oncoheroes Biosciences. “Thank you, Scott Carter Foundation, for the confidence and for getting onboard with this unique endeavor”.
Thank you
Oncoheroes Biosciences And Arms Wide Open Childhood Cancer Foundation Fighting Childhood Cancer Together
Although cancer in children is considered rare, it is the leading cause of death by disease among children in the USA. Pediatric cancer differs significantly from adult cancers, both in physiology and mutations. However, the vast majority of drugs administered to children with cancer have been designed for adults. This could explain why current therapies fail in children and adolescents, being either ineffective or highly toxic.
Oncoheroes Biosciences is delighted to announce the investment of Arms Wide Open Childhood Cancer Foundation (AWOCCF), a non-profit headquartered in New Jersey. Since 2009, AWOCCF has funded over 80 research grants around the country, some of which have led to life-saving clinical trials, and has given over $1.2 million in family support, helping thousands of families.
“We are encouraged by the essential and critical work of Oncoheroes, and look forward to the future as we change the paradigm of childhood cancer TOGETHER!” said Dena Sherwood, Founder and President of AWOCCF. Dena Sherwood’s 13-month-old son Billy, Jr. was diagnosed with Stage IV high-risk neuroblastoma and is now a two-time cancer survivor.
Arms Wide Open Childhood Cancer Foundation is committed to funding pediatric cancer research, supporting families who are suffering hardship due to their child’s cancer diagnosis both financially and emotionally, educating the general public, raising awareness globally, and uniting the childhood cancer community. Moreover, under Dena’s leadership, Arms Wide Open is helping transform the childhood cancer landscape through their many initiatives, such as their Emmy-Award winning documentaries and awareness campaign, The Truth 365, which gives all children with cancer a voice, and by hosting, CureFest, an annual event in Washington, DC, that brings foundations and advocates together to speak as one voice on behalf of all children fighting cancer.
“Thank you, Arms Wide Open Childhood Cancer Foundation, for your trust and willingness to adopt a new approach to bring safer and more effective treatments for children,” said Ricardo Garcia, co-founder, and CEO of Oncoheroes Biosciences. “We believe that building partnerships within childhood cancer stakeholders is a fantastic way to honor children and families affected by pediatric cancer this month and through the year.”
Thank you
Oncoheroes Biosciences And Swifty Foundation United Toward New Cures
Childhood cancer is considered a rare disease that accounts for about 1% of all U.S cancers. However, childhood cancer is not just one disease – there are more than 12 major types of pediatric cancers and over 100 subtypes. Although pediatric cancer death rates have declined over the past four decades due to improved tumor detection and treatment, for some types of cancer the survival rates remain devastating.
“The Swifty Foundation appreciates and is excited by Oncoheroes’ laser focus on pediatric oncology drug development. Swifty’s founder was treated with 30-year-old drugs and when his medulloblastoma returned his chance of survival dropped to 5% because there were no viable treatment options to offer,” stated Patti Gustafson, Executive Director of Swifty Foundation. “Oncoheroes drug discovery lab, dedicated to finding more effective and less toxic treatments using pediatric models, could be a game-changer for some cancer types like medulloblastoma”.
Michael Gustafson, the founder of the Swifty Foundation, chose to donate his tissue for research after his death at the age of 15 to help find a cure for pediatric brain cancer. Gift from a Child is a national initiative led by Swifty Foundation. The mission is to increase post mortem pediatric brain tissue donations and accelerate breakthrough cancer research, improve treatments and ultimately find new cures for childhood brain cancer. The Swifty Foundation is also focused on supporting research collaboration and medulloblastoma research.
“We are excited to announce the investment of the Swifty Foundation during childhood cancer awareness month. September is time to advocate for and honor those who have been affected by childhood cancer, ”said Ricardo Garcia, co-founder, and CEO of Oncoheroes Biosciences. “Thank you, Swifty Foundation for joining our efforts to accelerate the discovery and development of new therapies for children and adolescents with cancer.”
Thank you
Oncoheroes Biosciences And Kier’s Kidz Helping Kids Beat Cancer Together
Every day, more than 800 children are diagnosed with cancer worldwide. After accidents, cancer is the second leading cause of death in children ages 1 to 14 in the US. Despite these facts, conventional drugs have rarely been developed specifically for pediatric cancer patients but are developed for adults and then tested in children.
However, cancer in children differs significantly from adult cancers, from the types of genetic changes that each age group exhibits to molecular characteristics, histology or outcome. The direct consequence of these differences is the failure of conventional therapies in children, both in terms of efficacy and toxicity.
Oncoheroes Biosciences is thrilled to announce the investment of Kier’s Kidz, a childhood cancer non-profit from New Jersey that for the first time invested in a biotech company. Since 2012, Kier’s Kidz has been helping children, adolescents, and young adults with cancer by funding cancer treatments and research.
Larry Perfetti, CEO and co-founder of Kier’s Kidz, said, “We are excited to be part of the Oncoheroes Family. By investing in the work of Oncoheroes, we are investing in a 21st Century approach to pediatric cancer drug development that takes into account the advancements made in genetics, cancer research, pharmaceuticals, and medical knowledge about the specific needs of pediatric cancer patients. Most importantly, we are investing in the lives of pediatric cancer patients who will be helped to survive and to thrive by the new drugs that are developed by Oncoheroes specifically for these children and adolescents.”
Kier’s Kidz is Kiersten Hickman-Perfetti’s legacy of love and hope for children, adolescents and young adults with cancer. Kier lost her life at age twenty-two to alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare form of pediatric cancer. While fighting her own cancer for three-and-a-half years, Kier helped younger children and adolescents who were being treated for cancer in The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
“What a fantastic way to celebrate Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Thank you, Kier’s Kidz for joining Oncoheroes. Coming together, we can finally change the landscape of pediatric oncology,” stated Ricardo Garcia, co-founder, and CEO of Oncoheroes Biosciences. “We can’t wait to share more exciting news this month, stay tuned”.
Thank You
MEET A HERO: KIERSTEN, 19 YEARS OLD AT DIAGNOSIS
From the moment she was born, Kiersten Hickman-Perfetti seemed to be on a mission to make the most of her life. She approached everyone and everything with great energy, love, and appreciation. She loved to laugh, to sing, and to play. She was creative and intuitive. She learned to read when she was two, which set her on a life-long love affair with learning. She was also a sports fanatic, playing multiple sports a year, earning fourteen varsity letters during high school, and falling in love with The New York Yankees and the Rutgers Women's Basketball Team along the way.
In August of 2003, just after her eighteenth birthday, Kier left her home in Highland Park, NJ, to attend Goucher College. From her first day there, Kier was enamored with her college peers, the beautiful campus, her studies, and her professors. She went out for the college basketball team and made it. Kier's life was in full swing when in December she developed a sinus infection. The infection reoccurred over the duration of the school year and into the summer.
Kiersten’s family: Keith (brother), Mimi (mother), Kier and Larry (father)
In August 2004, just as she was preparing to go back to Goucher, Kier developed a serious vision problem in her right eye. Her ophthalmologist ordered an emergency MRI that eventually revealed a mass on her sinus. Kier was rushed to a hospital and underwent surgery to excise a solid mass. An analysis of the tumor led to a diagnosis of alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma.
Kier was treated at an adult cancer center for almost a year after her diagnosis. As her family came to understand that Kier’s cancer was a pediatric cancer best treated by pediatric cancer specialists, Kier was transferred to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. During her two-and-a-half years at CHOP, Kier fought relentlessly to beat her cancer. She underwent 80 radiation and 75 chemotherapy sessions; she had two brain surgeries. In total Kier spent over four hundred days in the hospital or in Philadelphia’s Ronald McDonald House to have access to CHOP.
Despite the debilitating effects of treatment, Kier was still on a mission. In fact, she had two missions: to beat cancer and to live life as fully as she could while doing so. And she wanted to help the younger kids at CHOP do the same. So almost every day she was inpatient, Kier would get out of bed, visit, play with, and encourage her little buddies at CHOP who were going through the same hell as she was. She was particularly sensitive to the loss of innocence and opportunity that children with cancer suffer. She felt she needed to help these children be kids as much as she could through play, music, laughter, and love.
Whenever Kiersten was out of the hospital and off treatment, she pursued her first mission in life: live every moment fully and energetically. So, during her years of treatment, Kier traveled to over forty states, went to The Daily Show where she met with the wonderful Jon Stewart four times, went to Saturday Night Live, went to The Ellen Show in the Park, threw out the first ball at a Somerset Patriots play-off game, and met Derek Jeter and Joe Torre before watching her Yankees play in NYC. She became a creative scrapbooker, and she became quite the visual artist, painting several beautiful and complex originals. She also closely followed her beloved Rutgers Women’s Basketball Team, serving as an honorary coach in one game and becoming friends with many of the players and the coaches. She went to the Final Four Women’s Championship game in Philadelphia to cheer on Rutgers. Three months before she died, she even went to Camp Make-A-Dream, where she spent a week skiing and snowshoeing with other adolescents and young adults who had cancer. And she never missed a chance to be with or to speak on the phone with her many loving friends.
In August 2007, Kier's doctors told her that nothing more could be done to stop the advance of the disease. She had a choice: continue treatment with no chance of a cure or live her life to the fullest outside of treatment. She accepted the news with disappointment and chose the mature to discontinue treatment. “Kier wanted her life back for as long as she could get it," explains her Mom, Mimi Hickman-Perfetti. Kier died on 23 April 2008 at home with her parents holding her.
Kier’s personal war with cancer was over. Just three days before she died, Kier’s Kidz, which would become its own 501(c)(3) nonprofit, was born out of Kier’s wish to leave a legacy of love and hope for children and young adults fighting cancer. Kier wanted her parents and friends to help kids and young adults with cancer financially and emotionally. She also wanted Kier’s Kidz to support pediatric cancer research. She knew that the only way many kids have a chance to beat their cancers is through improved chemotherapy and other treatment agents.
"Before Kier developed cancer, we knew little to nothing about childhood cancer. After going through Kier's battle with her and seeing so many other children fighting cancer at CHOP, we became acutely aware of the hell kids go through even when they beat their cancers. We also learned that pediatric cancer treatments were based primarily on adult cancer models with few if any chemo agents developed specifically for children. And that’s the way it still is!" said Larry Perfetti, Kiersten's Dad. “When we learned about the work and goals of Oncoheroes, we knew immediately that we wanted to support that venture to give kids a better chance at life with better treatments. Kier would have been ecstatic about our supporting Oncoheroes. Our son, Keith, is. He misses his sister dearly, and he wants cancer defeated once and for all for all children and young adults. So, in Kier’s memory and honor, and with great hope and anticipation, we decided to personally invest in Oncoheroes and to become part of the Oncoheroes Family. We are positive that the Oncoheroes team has the passion, the compassion, and the expertise needed to meet the challenges that lie ahead and to usher pediatric cancer treatment into the 21st Century."
Here we go, Kier!
Listen to Ricardo Garcia, Oncoheroes' CEO, at Help and Hope Happen Here Podcast
Ricardo Garcia, Oncoheroes’ CEO, was interview by Mark Levine, a childhood cancer advocate. Mark has been involved with childhood cancer awareness and fundraising initiatives since 2018. When the COVID pandemic hit, he decided to continue supporting this cause by launching a pediatric cancer podcast: Help And Hope Happen Here.
Mark’s interviews include a wide spectrum of people who all have a passion and a stake in finding a way to make the lives of pediatric cancer patients easier, from oncologists, nurses, recovered patients, parents who have had to oversee their children's cancer fight to heads of pediatric cancer foundations and biotech companies like Oncoheroes Biosciences.
Listen here to the interview
Oncoheroes Biosciences And Children’s Cancer Research Fund Working Together For A World Without Childhood Cancer
Childhood cancer is still the first cause of death by disease among children in the U.S. Despite this, there are only five drugs specifically designed and approved for pediatric cancer to treat 12 types and multiple subtypes of childhood cancer. Due to insufficient specific therapies for children with cancer, pediatric oncologists are forced to adjust adult cancer treatments for them.
In 40 years Children’s Cancer Research Fund (CCRF) has contributed $213 million to research, education and awareness, and quality-of-life programs for childhood cancer families. Oncoheroes Biosciences is thrilled to announce an investment from CCRF.
“We are excited to support the vital work Oncoheroes is doing to accelerate new therapy options for children and adolescents with cancer,” stated Daniel Gumnit, CEO of the Children’s Cancer Research Fund. “It’s part of our organization’s commitment to making a real and meaningful impact for families who are battling cancer.”
Children’s Cancer Research Fund has worked closely with doctors and scientists to fund innovative research that has led to better treatments for kids battling cancer. CCRF’s mission is to remove the roadblocks that stand in the way of research breakthroughs, and they have a track record of success—from new drug trials for children with brain tumors and osteosarcoma to improvements in blood and marrow transplantation. CCRF’s success lies in their core values of innovation, impact and connection. CCRF develops strong relationships with the country’s top researchers and stay attuned to the ever-changing landscape of medical research.
“We are honored that a childhood cancer foundation with four decades of history has decided to join Oncoheroes. Thank you, Children’s Cancer Research Fund, for your trust. When we launched Oncoheroes, we wanted to involve the non-profit sector to help us bridge the valley of death in childhood cancer drug development. We are excited to see that this is happening and that together, we will accelerate the approval of new drugs for children and adolescents with cancer,” explained Ricardo Garcia, co-founder, and CEO of Oncoheroes Biosciences.
Thank You
Oncoheroes Biosciences And The Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation Are Combining Efforts To Beat Childhood Cancer
“I’m a competitive guy. Anyone who knows me will tell you I can’t stand to lose. I’ve never faced anything on the racetrack as tough as childhood cancer. But I won’t stop until I beat it.”
Every year worldwide, 300,000 children and adolescents will have to fight cancer. Due to the lack of treatments specifically designed and developed for children, one in five will not beat the disease, and many will suffer the long-term side effects from the current therapies.
Oncoheroes Biosciences, a mission-driven biotech company currently building a multiasset pipeline of childhood cancer drugs, is very excited to announce an investment from Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation (JGCF), marking the first time JGCF has invested in a biotech company.
“We appreciate the innovative approach Oncoheroes is undertaking to develop much-needed therapies specifically to improve outcomes for kids fighting cancer,” said Dr. Jeffrey Chell, Board Chair for JGCF. “This kind of fresh thinking and expansive collaboration has the power to fuel exciting progress in childhood cancer research.”
JGCF was founded in 1999 by four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon. Since then, JGCF has donated nearly $22 million to hospitals and children’s health organizations to primarily support pediatric cancer research.
“We are delighted to welcome and thank Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation for joining our project. We are thrilled to see another non-profit going one step further and adopting a venture philanthropy approach by investing in Oncoheores. We believe this is a unique opportunity for the childhood cancer community to be in the driver seat in bringing new therapies for childhood cancer,” explained Ricardo Garcia, co-founder, and CEO of Oncoheroes Biosciences.
Thank You
MEET A HERO: Grant, 2 year old at diagnosis
"Upside down," said Grant looking at himself in the mirror and pointing at his Spiderman T-shirt while standing up on a hospital bed. Grant Gossling was 2 years old when he was diagnosed with high-risk neuroblastoma and everyone at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta hospital knew him as Spidey, in honor of his favorite hero.
Michael, Grant and June Gossling
Grant underwent almost 2 years of aggressive treatment, including chemotherapy, a stem cell transplant, 2 rounds of high-dose radiation therapy, 6 rounds of immunotherapy. In between, he did his best to be a kid, pretending to climb the hospital walls and catching bad guys on his powerful webs. After 2 years of battle, Grant passed away on March 28, 2016.
Upside down is how a family's world turns when childhood cancer stands at the door. However, after grief or a new start, there is one thing in common within childhood cancer families: their passion and commitment to avoid other families going through what they went through. Since the beginning of Grant’s diagnosis, the Gossling family has continually advocated for other children battling and supported childhood cancer research.
"We have supported every aspect in childhood cancer, from funding research to improving healthcare facilities, from supporting clinical teams to advocating for more funding for childhood cancer in front of the US Capitol," said June Gossling, Grant's mother. "We felt Oncoheroes was the missing piece. We could finally contribute to accelerating drug development in pediatric oncology. There have already been enough families that have lost their hope waiting for better treatments."
Michael Gossling, Grant's dad, is currently the chairman of the board of the Rally Foundation, a childhood cancer foundation that recently invested in Oncoheroes. Right after, Michael and June decided that they also wanted to be part of Oncoheroes. "Investing in Oncoheroes was not a hard decision for us; in the end, we are all going for a cure. Our son went through many aggressive and very toxic treatments, and despite all the pokes, Grant could always muster a smile. We are very excited that finally there is a company solely focused on developing new targeted drugs for children and adolescents, who deserve more effective and less toxic options. One step at a time, we will make it," stated Michael.
Stronger Together: Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation joins Oncoheroes Biosciences on their unique approach to defeat childhood cancer
For close to 40 years, Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation has been pioneering the effort to eliminate childhood cancer by identifying and funding promising leading edge research. Today, Oncoheroes Biosciences is thrilled to announce the investment of PCRF, the first time PCRF supports a biotech company.
Driven by the vision that every child deserves to grow up cancer free, PCRF exclusively targets its resources toward emerging and breakthrough research opportunities that demonstrate the best hope of a cure. “This year we are joining forces with Oncoheroes in their vision to collaborate with like-minded organizations to bring these new treatments to children with cancer. We’re stronger together,“ stated Jeri Wilson Executive Director of the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation.
Every three minutes a family is diagnosed with childhood cancer and unfortunately, one in five will lose the battle. The lack of treatments designed and developed for children with cancer is unacceptable, with only 5 drugs specifically designed to treat children versus more than 200 for adults.
Developing new drugs is hard enough for therapies treating common diseases. The barriers only get higher for those with rare indications, like childhood cancer where foundations have been denouncing the lack of early-stage funding from the private sector; of incentives, and of industry interest.
“After years in the non-profit side of childhood cancer, I realized that investing resources only in academic research will not lead to new childhood cancer treatments, because research is only one piece of a complex jigsaw. Thus, we decided to launch Oncoheroes Biosciences, a mission-driven biotech company building a multi-asset pipeline exclusively focused on pediatric oncology. Thank you Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation for your vision and for going beyond your traditional research grant model. We will conquer childhood cancer if, together, we try something different,” explained Cesare Spadoni, co-founder and COO of Oncoheroes Biosciences.
Thank You
Rally Foundation Teams Up With Oncoheroes Biosciences On Their Effort Of Bringing New Life-Saving Childhood Cancer Therapies
Childhood cancer is considered a rare disease affecting 300,000 new families every year worldwide, 90,000 of them unfortunately will lose their loved one. Moreover, more than 95% of childhood cancer survivors will have health-related issues because of the cancer treatments administered, the vast majority designed and developed for adult indications. Despite this, only five pediatric cancer drugs have been approved in the last 40 years versus more than 200 for adults, pointing to a large unmet medical need.
Oncoheroes Biosciences, currently building a multi-asset portfolio of pediatric oncology drugs, is very excited to announce the investment of Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research, a pediatric cancer non-profit focused on raising awareness and funds for childhood cancer research to find better treatments with fewer long-term side effects and, ultimately, cures.
“Everything started at a lovely dinner in DC back in 2015, where four of us who led non-profit childhood cancer foundations were sharing our frustration of not seeing enough efforts from the industry on developing new therapies for children. I still remember Ricardo Garcia, who later became co-founder and CEO of Oncoheroes, proposing to launch a biotech company 100% focused on childhood cancer. We are thrilled to team up with Oncoheroes and support the effort of bringing new life-saving therapies for children and adolescents with cancer,” stated Dean Crowe co-founder and CEO of Rally Foundation.
Rally Foundation funds the most promising and cutting-edge research initiatives around the globe, seeing themselves as philanthropic seed investors in the next great discovery. Since 2005, Rally has awarded more than $22 million in childhood cancer research grants to 404 projects at hospitals and research institutions around the world and secured $31 million in new federal funding for cancers in children, adolescents, and young adults from the Department of Defense’s Medical Research Program. For the first time, Rally Foundation is investing in a biotech company.
“During that dinner in DC, I advocated for a different approach to change the pediatric cancer landscape. Today, I am very excited about this new partnership with Rally Foundation, one of the organizations involved in the conversation that took place that night. We are honored that for the first time, Rally Foundation has decided to go beyond funding academic research by investing in Oncoheroes. We believe focused disease foundations and patients’ associations play an essential role during the development of new drugs for rare diseases. Thank you Rally for joining the effort,” stated Ricardo Garcia, CEO of Oncoheroes Biosciences.
Thank You & Rally On
The Gregory Foundation For Cancer Research Strengthens Their Commitment By Investing Again In Oncoheroes Biosciences
“Although Gregory received cutting edge immunotherapies and targeted therapies, including CAR-T 19 and an allogeneic CAR-T, the disease was very aggressive, and he succumbed to cancer,” explained Sonsy Rajan, Gregory’s mother and President of The Gregory Foundation For Cancer Research. Gregory was diagnosed with infant leukemia at the age of 10 months and fought the disease for 11 months.
The Gregory Foundation has a bold funding strategy. The Foundation believes that a single approach will not revolutionize or solve the lack of treatments in pediatric oncology. The Foundation is agnostic about the type of research, or the type of organization behind a promising project and invests in biotech companies. “We like projects and teams that tackle unmet needs in childhood cancer, combining drug development strategies in pediatric oncology with innovative and breakthrough technologies like Artificial Intelligence. All efforts are needed to reach the clinic faster and we acknowledge that Oncoheroes is aligned with our approach,” added Sonsy Rajan.
Oncoheroes Biosciences is a mission-driven biotech company building a multi-asset pipeline exclusively focused on pediatric oncology. To this end, we follow three different strategies:
Developing our drugs (2HIT Medulloblastoma) at our Discovery Lab.
In-licensing clinical stage or near clinical-stage drug candidates (volasertib).
Partnering with the pharmaceutical industry, foundations, and patient associations communities to support the development of novel therapies.
