Completed projects
Since 2014, OvaCure has initiated and completed several projects. Many of the projects have led to new projects, where the first results are, for example, further explored or samples from patients are recycled and combined with another type of technology. In other words, completed projects can continuously benefit research in the field of ovarian cancer, and in many cases, the results can also be useful for research in other areas of cancer. Below you can read about OvaCure’s completed projects.
OvaCure project 10: T-cell Infusion Project vol. 2
Head of Research: Inge Marie Svane (DK)
The right combination: Can the combination Relatlimab-Nivolumab lead to objective reactions and improve progression-free survival?
To further explore the results of project 1, Professor Inge Marie Svane has launched a new project that combines, among other things, ACT – a form of immunotherapy that consists of infusing the patient’s living T cells – with immunomodulatory antibodies. This new study will provide a unique opportunity to compare results with immune data from previous studies.
Status: Completed 2025.
Original title: ”T-cell Therapy in Combination with Nivolumab, Relatlimab and Ipilimumab for Patients with Advanced Ovarian-, Fallopian Tube- and Primary Peritoneal Cancer”.
OvaCure project 9: Diagnostics of OvarieCysts – DOC-study
Head of Research: Estrid Høgdall (DK)
The overall purpose of the project is to find a better method to distinguish between benign cysts and the early stages of ovarian cancer.
Today, gynecologists risk assess a detected ovarian cyst based on the Risk of Malignancy Index (RMI) score. Unfortunately, RMI is not optimal for identifying which women should be referred to a cancer package for diagnosis, which results in some being diagnosed very late.
The DOC study wants to change the risk calculation model. About 2,000 women with ovarian cysts will be included in the project, which will consider health data, blood tests, symptoms, and ultrasound. Hopefully, early detection can improve the chances of survival for women with ovarian cancer.
Status: Completed.
Original title: Diagnosing Ovarian Cysts – the DOC study
OvaCure project 8: How do we overcome treatment resistance in ovarian cancer? (DK)
Head of Research: Zoltan Szallasi (DK)
Institution: Rigshospitalet
Can one target treatment that utilizes flaws in the DNA repair mechanisms to treat ovarian cancer patients who have no treatment options?
Status: OvaCure’s involvement completed.
OvaCure Project 7: Winner of OvaCure Award 2020: DiscOVARY (DK&US)
Head of Research: Daniel Powell (USA), co-lead Professor Inge Marie Svane (DK)
Institution: Herlev-Gentofte Hospital, CHUV (Swiss),The Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI), Oslo University Hospital (OUH), Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, UPENN
The overall purpose of the project is to increase the effectiveness of immunotherapy in the treatment of ovarian cancer.
Status: Completed in February 2026.
Original title: “Leveraging shared Ovarian Cancer antigenic landscape discOVARY for next generation OvaCure ACT/vaccination trials”
OvaCure project 6: CAR T-cell Project (US)
Head of Research: Daniel Powell (USA)
Institution: UPenn
The perfect key: Can CAR-T cells be modified to work better in treating women with ovarian cancer recurrence?
CAR-T treatment is specific immunotherapy: T cells that are genetically engineered to attack cancer cells.
Status: Completed.
Original title: “CAR-T cell therapy in ovarian cancer patients”
OvaCure project 5: Genetic-Match Project (DK)
Head of Research: Dr. Mansoor Raza Mirza (DK)
Institution: NSGO
Dream matchmaking: Can genetic matching of tumor profiles provide patients the best treatment?
In more than one hundred tumor samples, the researchers are investigating whether a match can be found between the tumor’s genetics and the treatment that has the greatest effect, but also which treatments give the most side effects. In this way, the individual patient can be given the most optimal treatment, both in relation to effect but also in relation to side effects.
Here, the basic philosophy is that all tumors are uniquely different and should be treated differently.
The project has spawned no less than five sub-projects that, among other things, focus on combination therapy for patients with advanced ovarian cancer, look at why immunotherapy treatment does not have the same effect among ovarian cancer patients, and investigate the effect of PARP inhibitors.
Status: Completed 2025.
Original titel: ”Molecular profiling ovarian cancer patient subpopulations – beyond BRCA1/2”.
OvaCure project 4: Personal Vaccine Project (CH)
Head of Research: Lana Kandalaft (CH)
Tumor fingerprint: Can one develop the perfect vaccine based on the profile of the tumor?
Status: Completed 2024.
Original titel: “Phase I/II study to test the immunogenicity, feasibility, and safety of autologous dendritic cell vaccine pulsed with personalized peptides (PEP-DC) vs. autologous dendritic cell vaccine pulsed with tumor lysate (OC-DC) followed by PEP-DC vaccine, in combination with low-dose cyclophosphamide, in patients with advanced high grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC)”.
OvaCure project 3: Personal T-cell Project (CH)
Head of Research: George Coukos (CH)
Make it personal: Can you design a personalized T-cell treatment for women with ovarian cancer?
Status: Completed 2020.
Original titel: “Harnessing tumour diversity to develop personalised adoptive immunotherapy for ovarian cancer”.
OvaCure project 2: T-cell Combination Project (NL)
Head of Research: Els M. E. Verdegaal (NL)
The window of opportunity. Is there such a thing as “the perfect time” to attack ovarian cancer with the right combination treatment?
This project investigates whether the perfect timing and combination of treatment can optimize the effect of treatment.
Status: Completed end of 2021.
Original title: “Combined chemo and adoptive T-cell therapy (ACT) as a treatment for recurrent epithelial ovarian carcinoma”.
OvaCure project 1: T-cell Infusion Project (DK)
The first project with T-cell treatment for women with ovarian cancer.
Project manager: : Inge Marie Svane (DK)
A project in personalized immunotherapy that researches increasing the number of the immune system’s own “soldiers” who are already fighting cancer. This allows the immune system to attack the cancer cells with greater force.
This research has shown extraordinary results in breast cancer, and it is now hoped to be able to use this knowledge to tailor the treatment to be used to treat ovarian cancer.
Status: Completed beginning of 2021.
Original title: “Immunotherapy by adoptive T-cell infusion in the event of advanced ovarian cancer (stage III and IV) and treatment trials for a total of 18 women”.
