Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Overview

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Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center stands as a global leader in cancer research and treatment, driving innovative clinical trials that advance precision oncology and immunotherapy for patients worldwide. Its extensive portfolio of phase I–III studies emphasises patient-centred care, offering trial participants access to cutting-edge therapies that often lead to breakthrough approvals and improved outcomes in oncology.

• Institution Profile: Founded 1884 · New York, United States · Private · mskcc.org
• Therapeutic Strengths: Oncology, precision medicine, immunotherapy
• Research standing: Warren Alpert Foundation Prize for CAR T-Cell Therapy (Michel Sadelain, 2024); Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (James P. Allison for work partially conducted at MSK, 2018); Lasker~DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award (Charles L. Sawyers, 2009)
• Partnerships: MSK Cancer Alliance; Amazon Web Services (AI in drug discovery); Pharmaceutical industry collaborations (e.g., Pfizer, AstraZeneca); Caris Life Sciences (Precision Oncology Alliance); MSK Innovation Hub (startup and digital health collaborations)

Clinical Research Infrastructure

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center operates a robust clinical-research ecosystem centred on its main campus in New York City, integrating hospital services with dedicated research facilities to support over 700 active trials. This infrastructure facilitates seamless translation from laboratory discoveries to patient trials, with affiliates extending reach across the US and internationally.

• Hospitals & Medical Centers: Flagship site at 1275 York Avenue, New York; key affiliates include Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention (child organisation); related institutions such as Cornell University, Stony Brook University, and Hospital for Special Surgery for collaborative trial sites
• Specialty Institutes & Research Facilities: Mortimer B. Zuckerman Research Center for advanced biomedical studies; disease-specific centres focusing on thoracic, gastrointestinal, and hematologic cancers

Key Specialties and Therapeutic Focus

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center excels in oncology, with primary focus areas prioritised by its expertise in immunotherapy, precision oncology and targeted therapies, thoracic cancers, gastrointestinal cancers, and hematologic malignancies. These encompass targeted conditions such as breast, ovarian, prostate, bladder, and lung cancers, where high-enrollment trials address unmet needs in advanced and rare subtypes.

The centre employs diverse therapeutic modalities, including small-molecule drugs (e.g., pembrolizumab, nivolumab), biologics, radiation, behavioural interventions, and genetic approaches, often combined in multi-arm studies to optimise efficacy. Leading specialists drive these efforts: Charles L. Sawyers in molecular oncology and targeted therapy; Luis A. Diaz Jr. in gastrointestinal oncology and cancer genetics; Andrea Cercek in gastrointestinal oncology; Vinod P. Balachandran in surgical oncology and cancer vaccines; Michel Sadelain in cellular engineering and CAR T-cell therapy.

Notable breakthroughs include achieving 100% clinical complete response in a rectal cancer trial using immunotherapy, which avoided standard chemoradiation and surgery (2022), and developing MSK-IMPACT™, an FDA-authorised comprehensive tumour genomic sequencing test for personalised treatment guidance.

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Clinical Trials Landscape

Trial Statistics

As the lead sponsor, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center manages 690 active trials across recruiting, not yet recruiting, and active not recruiting statuses, drawing a total enrollment of 214,255 participants and spanning 3,896 locations primarily in the United States. These trials predominantly target adults (675 studies) and older adults (656 studies), with fewer for children (75 studies), and cover a broad sex distribution including all genders (544 studies), females (104), and males (42). Key conditions by enrollment highlight breast cancer (63,439 participants), ovarian cancer (38,499), and prostate cancer (38,275), often conducted at top US institutions with international extensions to Canada and Nigeria.

Key Clinical Trial Updates

Recent developments include 108 trials updated in the last month, reflecting ongoing momentum in immunotherapy and precision oncology, with interim analyses from phase II studies showing promising response rates in lung and gastrointestinal cancers. Primary completion dates cluster around mid-2026 for several phase III trials in breast and prostate cancers, anticipating data readouts that could inform regulatory submissions. Notable successes encompass breakthrough approvals for targeted therapies derived from MSK-led studies, enhancing access to personalised treatments.

Trial Innovation

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center pioneers patient-centric trial designs, incorporating adaptive platforms that adjust arms based on real-time efficacy data in oncology studies. It integrates digital health tools through partnerships like Amazon Web Services for AI-driven drug discovery and MSK Innovation Hub collaborations, enabling remote monitoring and real-world evidence collection to improve trial efficiency and inclusivity.

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Explore Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center clinical trials

Dive into 5 of 2,038 clinical trials by scrolling down or clicking the link below.