OCCAM Immune, a Mount Sinai initiative focused on understanding the immune system's role in disease, has formed a strategic partnership with the Cancer Research Institute (CRI) to unlock how the immune system responds to advanced cancer therapies. The collaboration establishes a long-term framework for immune monitoring across CRI's clinical trials, with the goal of identifying which patients are most likely to benefit from specific immunotherapies.
The partnership was initiated by Thomas Marron, MD, PhD, Director of the Early Phase Trial Unit at The Tisch Cancer Institute at Mount Sinai and Chief Medical Officer of OCCAM Immune, who recognized shared vision between the organizations to accelerate immunotherapy progress.
Addressing Immunotherapy's Personalization Challenge
While immunotherapy has transformed cancer treatment, it doesn't work for everyone. The collaboration aims to address this critical gap by mapping how the immune system responds to therapy, providing insights that could improve care not only for cancer but also for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.
"We're thrilled to team up with the Cancer Research Institute on this important work," said Dr. Marron. "CRI brings decades of experience in cancer immunotherapy and access to rich clinical trial samples from around the world. At OCCAM Immune, we're bringing powerful tools to analyze the immune system and the expertise to turn complex data into insights that matter to doctors, scientists, and, ultimately, patients."
Initial Focus on Ovarian Cancer
The collaborative work will begin with a clinical trial in women with platinum-resistant high-grade serous ovarian cancer, an aggressive type of ovarian cancer that often returns after treatment. OCCAM Immune scientists will analyze 160 blood samples and tumor biopsies using cutting-edge technologies including RNA/DNA sequencing and immune cell mapping.
The research aims to understand how the body responds to novel drug combinations and identify biomarkers that could help match future patients with the most effective therapies.
Leveraging Mount Sinai's Research Ecosystem
OCCAM Immune operates within Mount Sinai's robust medical and research ecosystem, led by pioneers including Miriam Merad, MD, PhD, whose work has shaped understanding of how the immune system controls cancer. Dr. Merad serves as Dean for Translational Research and Therapeutic Innovation, Director of the Marc and Jennifer Lipschultz Precision Immunology Institute (PrIISM), and Chair of Immunology and Immunotherapy at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Through PrIISM, OCCAM Immune offers partners access to rare clinical samples, cutting-edge analysis, and a proven track record of discovery.
Strategic Vision for Personalized Medicine
"We are proud to partner with OCCAM Immune and Mount Sinai on this important effort to advance our understanding of how the immune system responds to cancer therapies," said Alicia Zhou, PhD, CRI's Chief Executive Officer. "OCCAM Immune's expertise in immune profiling and data interpretation, paired with CRI's network of immunotherapy trials, creates a powerful synergy. Together, we're not only accelerating the pace of discovery but also moving closer to a future where every patient receives the treatment most likely to be effective for them."
Dr. Merad emphasized the broader implications of the partnership: "This collaboration with the Cancer Research Institute marks an important step forward—not just for OCCAM Immune, but for the field of immunotherapy as a whole. It reflects growing recognition of our ability to generate and interpret high-quality immune data, which is essential as personalized medicine and AI-driven drug development continue to advance."
The collaboration provides a flexible framework for launching new projects efficiently, supporting research across immuno-oncology, allergy, autoimmunity, and infectious diseases. By combining clinical expertise with advanced laboratory tools, the partnership aims to support researchers and companies worldwide in developing more precise, effective therapies.
