Collaboration Brings “Excitement” to Novel Cancer Therapy Development

The opportunity to explore novel therapeutic agents and bring more complex immunotherapies to the community setting represents an “exciting aspect” of the collaboration between Northwell Health and the Southern Texas Accelerated Research Therapeutics (START) Center for Cancer Research, said Geraldine O’Sullivan Coyne, MD, MRCPI, PhD.

In July 2025, Coyne was appointed as the principal investigator and director of Clinical Research at the Northwell Health unit of the START Center for Cancer Research, which will be based in R.J. Zuckerberg Cancer Center in New Hyde Park. Coyne spoke with CancerNetwork^® regarding the next steps and initiatives for further expanding access to treatment and early phase clinical trials among patients with cancer living in community settings.

According to Coyne, an exciting aspect of drug development in oncology is seeing the delicate engineering of molecules to make novel agents like antibody drug conjugates more manageable in terms of safety and toxicity management. She noted that the partnership between Northwell Health and START may continue to advance this pursuit of developing new drugs in oncology while creating more targeted approaches for patients.

Transcript:

It’s always hard to think ahead. The most exciting aspect of drug development in oncology has been the delicate engineering of novel molecules that have been increasingly potent and either [significantly] less toxic or with a toxicity pattern that we have been able to manage, prevent, and/or mitigate. It has been [quite] exciting to see these newer molecules, such as antibody drug conjugates, starting to become part of mainstream therapy for patients with advanced malignancies.

[Much] of the excitement surrounding the START unit and Northwell Health collaboration with them is exploring these novel molecules that will hopefully continue to build on the pursuit in oncology drug development, which has been finding better and more targeted therapies for patients in their treatment journey. The most exciting aspect of working in this area, and indeed being able to partner with Northwell Health, is to explore these novel drugs and take on these newer and exciting complex immunotherapies in the community.

Reference

Olt B. Northwell names Geraldine O’Sullivan Coyne, MD, PhD, to lead clinical trials at new START center. News release. Northwell Health. July 22, 2025. Accessed August 7, 2025. https://tinyurl.com/bdcua8ck