Ivy Brain Tumor Center

Support the Ivy Brain Tumor Center’s pursuit of a cure for brain cancer.

Donate to Brain Cancer Research, Treatment, and Care

The reality of brain cancer is sobering: survival rates for malignant brain tumors have remained stagnant for decades, with glioblastoma claiming nearly 10,000 American lives each year.

The Ivy Brain Tumor Center at Barrow Neurological Institute has set a new standard for innovation in brain tumor research, challenging the status quo and offering hope to patients and families who have long been underserved. The Ivy Center’s multidisciplinary team is dedicated to providing expert care, preserving patients’ quality of life, and advancing treatment options through groundbreaking clinical research. The continued generosity of our donors drives this mission to improve outcomes and transform brain tumor research and treatment for those affected by this disease.

As the Ivy Center expands therapeutic options for patients, philanthropic support remains crucial. With the support of generous contributors like you, the Ivy Center is seizing this pivotal moment to accelerate research for this historically underfunded disease. Your steadfast commitment fuels lifesaving innovations and brings hope to brain tumor patients and their families across the globe.

Together, we can achieve extraordinary breakthroughs.

Your Support Fuels Measurable Success in Brain Cancer Research

In just six years, the Ivy Center has screened more than 4,500 patients and enrolled over 500 in 16 Phase 0 clinical trials. Philanthropic support has been instrumental in expanding our portfolio of groundbreaking early-phase clinical trials. These accelerated trials quickly identify drugs that show promise while eliminating those that do not. Focusing on precision medicine, the Ivy Center creates personalized treatment plans based on each patient’s unique tumor genetics, giving every patient the best chance at success without sacrificing precious time.

To date, one uniquely promising therapy has already advanced from early-phase clinical trials into a worldwide Phase 3 clinical trial. The Ivy Center identified the drug niraparib and accelerated it into a Phase 0/2 clinical trial. In this initial study, niraparib achieved brain tumor penetration in excess of any other drug in its class, nearly doubling the median overall survival of patients to 20.3 months.

“In less than two years, from concept to completion, our team at the Ivy Center generated proof-of-concept data in partnership with GSK, and we are now working to deliver a potential new standard of care to MGMT-unmethylated glioblastoma patients.”

— Dr. Nader Sanai, Director of the Ivy Brain Tumor Center and the Francis & Dionne Najafi Chair in Neurosurgical Oncology

Phase 3 Clinical Trial Advances

Data from the Ivy Center’s Phase 0/2 clinical trial of niraparib provided compelling evidence supporting the drug’s potential as a new treatment option for patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma. Traditionally, advancing from a Phase 1 to a Phase 3 trial is a decades-long endeavor, but our streamlined approach shortened the timeline with record efficiency.

In May 2024, the Ivy Center announced the Gliofocus Study (Gliofocus.org), a global Phase 3 clinical trial, and, in partnership with GSK, dosed the first patient just five weeks later. The study will enroll 450 patients at more than 145 medical centers across 11 countries. The Ivy Center intends to take successful study results to the FDA as evidence that this drug can extend the lives of glioblastoma patients and should define the new standard of care. This study could transform prognoses for these patients worldwide.

Your Donations are Transforming Brain Cancer Care

Accelerated Clinical Trials

In days—not months or years—the Ivy Center identifies therapies that work and eliminate those that don’t, giving patients faster access to lifesaving options.

Personalized Medicine

The Ivy Center uses advanced genetic profiling to tailor experimental treatments to each patient’s unique tumor, offering hope where standard care falls short.

Cutting-Edge Technology

From breakthrough neurosurgical techniques to experimental drug therapies, Ivy Center patients benefit from the latest advancements before they’re available anywhere else worldwide.

Building Impactful Partnerships

Collaboration fuels progress. With support from pharmaceutical and biotech partners, the Ivy Center can access and test the most promising therapies. Generous contributions from donors like you provide the resources needed to fund these partnerships.

Putting Patients First

Every decision the Ivy Center makes centers on improving patient outcomes. From providing compassionate care to offering clinical trial opportunities unavailable anywhere else, our mission is to save lives and create hope.

Discover More Programs

At Barrow Neurological Foundation, your donation is crucial in supporting three key areas: advanced patient care, curative research, and education for the next generation of neuroscientists. Learn more about how your donation impacts each of the areas we treat.