Message from Dr. Thomas Kipps

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Swim Across America for this sixth anniversary Greenwich-Stamford Swim.  As an ACGT Research Fellow, I appreciate continuing for the second year as the recipient of this Swim to further my development of a new treatment for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL).  

It is the generosity of so many people here today which will expand the work of my laboratory at Moores UCSD Cancer Center in San Diego, CA.

Immunotherapy is considered an especially promising form of gene therapy, in which cells from the patient’s tumor are re-engineered and re-inserted, triggering an immune response previously blocked by the cancer. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), the most common form of the disease in adults in Western societies, has generally been incurable. Having worked in the field for more than twenty years, I am encouraged that a more effective treatment for this disease is within reach.

The field has evolved. There is a tremendous amount of new work that’s going on to find the effective targets for gene therapy, and also the delivery vehicles.  We’re seeing some very encouraging results right now that are being translated into clinical trials.

Most recently, the combination of gene immunotherapy with chemotherapy is proving to be a safe and more effective treatment for the high-risk CLL patients, with remission rates nine times greater than those in a similar study using chemotherapy alone. ..such an encouraging result.

Dr. Thomas Kipps

Professor of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology Deputy Director of Research,

Moores UCSD Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, CA