Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Sunnybrook scientists made history by non-invasively opening the blood-brain barrier to deliver immunotherapy directly to the brain of an ALS patient using focused ultrasound technology.

A novel radiopharmaceutical developed by Stephanie Borlase will be used in a clinical trial to track immunotherapy delivery to brain metastases in lung cancer patients.

The HeLiX randomized clinical trial investigates tranexamic acid's efficacy in reducing blood loss during liver resection, a procedure often associated with significant bleeding.

Health Canada has approved vorasidenib (Voranigo) as the first targeted therapy for Grade 2 IDH-mutant glioma in adults and pediatric patients aged 12 and older, post-surgery.

• A prospective trial evaluated ultrahypofractionated radiotherapy (SBRT) post-prostatectomy for localized prostate cancer, showing it is well-tolerated by patients. • The study reported no grade ≥3 acute genitourinary or gastrointestinal toxicities, suggesting a favorable acute safety profile for the treatment approach. • Health-related quality of life impact was minimal in the acute phase, though longer follow-up is needed to assess long-term toxicity and efficacy. • A multicenter study with a larger cohort has completed enrollment to further validate the safety and efficacy of this radiotherapy modality.

Sunnybrook researchers have demonstrated the safety of using focused ultrasound to temporarily open the blood-brain barrier in ALS patients, marking a world-first clinical achievement published in Nature Communications.