- KiTZ
- Clinical Studies
- KiTZ Clinical Trial Unit
Our KiTZ Clinical Trial Unit consists of a specialized, multidisciplinary team that provides innovative therapies for pediatric cancer patients for whom standard therapy has not been successful. The team provides these children and adolescents with access to new treatment options under well-controlled clinical conditions. The KiTZ Clinical Trial Unit is led by Prof. Olaf Witt.
Testing new therapeutic approaches in early clinical trials
The goal of the Clinical Trial Unit is to identify targets for personalized therapy using state-of-the-art molecular diagnostic methods in prospective clinical trials. New phase I/ II clinical trials are developed and novel therapies are tested. In addition to treating young patients in clinical trials, our team's responsibilities also include counseling and second opinion formation. With this individualized approach, the study unit assumes a pioneering role in Europe.
A good network
We are closely connected with other pediatric oncology centers in the region: Together with twelve other centers, we have established an early clinical trials network to promote patient access to novel drugs and improve patient recruitment in southwestern Germany for early clinical trials (Research Network GPOH South West)
In addition, the KiTZ Clinical Trial Unit is part of the ITCC network (Innovative Therapy for Children with Cancer) for early clinical trials and a designated Phase I ITCC study center. Our department is recognized as an ITCC training center for early clinical trials. In collaboration with renowned pediatric oncology centers in the US (St. Jude and CONNECT), we are part of early clinical trials networks to advance innovative approaches in pediatric (neuro)oncology.
The Translational Trial Group of the KiTZ Clinical Trial Unit translates the latest research findings - including results from the preclinical program of the KiTZ - into an innovative treatment concept. This multidisciplinary team of specialized physicians and trial managers, working together closely with the Department of Biostatistics of the DKFZ and the NCT Trial Center, develops innovative international study protocols and coordinates its own phase I-III academic studies with sites in and outside Europe. The main focus is on biomarker driven trials and targeted/immune therapies using new drugs and rationale combinations. Examples of the two main current activities (INFORM2 trial series and the LOGGIC project) can be found below.
The group is embedded in several international networks. ITCC (Innovative Therapy for Children with Cancer) is a network of pediatric phase I/II sites and an important partner for academia and pharmaceutical industry for the roll out of pediatric early phase clinical trials. KiTZ has received ITCC international sponsor and national coordination accreditation in 2018, enabling the Translational Trial Group to roll out its own academic trials over the large ITCC network under its own governance. Furthermore, strong collaborations exist with other clinical trial groups in Germany (Society for Pediatric Oncology and Hematology (GPOH)), Europe, North-America (St. Jude and CONNECT) and Australia. Also, strong collaborations with the pharmaceutical industry guarantee access to new innovative drugs.
Importantly, the Translational Trial Group also builds partnerships with investigators performing clinical trials in adult oncology, e.g. in the NCT.
