For brain tumor patients and their families, a diagnosis can feel overwhelming. Traditional treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation often come with significant side effects and limited success, particularly for aggressive brain tumors like glioblastoma (GBM) and diffuse midline glioma (DMG).
But thanks to researchers like Dr. Michael Olin, a 2012 American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA) Discovery Grant recipient, new hope is emerging.
Dr. Olin and his team at the University of Minnesota have developed a groundbreaking immunotherapy, CD200AR-L, that aims to reprogram the body’s immune system to recognize and attack brain tumors. Unlike existing immune therapies, which have struggled to work effectively in brain cancer, CD200AR-L represents a novel approach that could transform treatment and extend survival for both adult and pediatric patients.
Dr. Olin’s success highlights the vital role of funding basic research—work that expands our understanding, even if it doesn’t have an immediate clinical application—by paving the way for groundbreaking discoveries that transform patient care.
How ARL200 Works: A New Approach to Brain Tumor Treatment
The immune system is designed to protect the body from threats, but brain tumors have a way of evading detection, suppressing immune responses, and continuing to grow unchecked. Immunotherapy aims to reverse this by activating the body’s immune defenses.
However, existing immune checkpoint inhibitors—drugs that work by removing the “brakes” on the immune system—have shown little success in brain tumors due to the brain’s unique environment and the tumor’s ability to resist these treatments.
Dr. Olin’s research takes a different approach. His team discovered a specific immune receptor, CD200AR-L, that, when activated, triggers a powerful immune response against brain tumors. Unlike traditional checkpoint inhibitors, ARL200 binds to this receptor, stimulating the immune system while simultaneously shutting down the “brakes” of the immune system referenced above.
In early studies, CD200AR-L has shown promising results in both adult and pediatric brain tumor patients. A small clinical trial in adults with recurrent glioblastoma at the University of Minnesota, treated by Dr. Elizabeth Neil, demonstrated that half of the patients responded positively to treatment, experiencing stronger immune activity and significantly extended survival times. Those who responded had a median survival of 741 days—more than four times longer than non-responders.
The promising adult trial led to the recent launch of a phase I clinical trial for children and young adults with aggressive brain tumors, including DMG, treated by Dr. Anne Bendel of Children’s Minnesota. Early MRI scans from the first pediatric patient showed signs of clinical stability within just six weeks, and most importantly, the treatment has been well tolerated, with patients experiencing an improved quality of life.
Excitingly, a variant of this therapy has demonstrated an anti-tumor response in a model of breast cancer brain metastasis, suggesting this therapy can be used in other cancer types. Dr. Olin is thankful for the funding he received from the ABTA back in 2012 and credits it with the ability to develop the drug.
“I discovered the inhibitory CD200AR-L protein during an old clinical trial we were doing. At that time, I was just opening my laboratory with very little funding. It was the ABTA grant I received that allowed me to initiate my studies and development of the drug.”
A Message of Hope for Patients and Families
For patients and their loved ones, a brain tumor diagnosis can feel like an uphill battle. But Dr. Olin wants them to know that there is real hope.
“We’re seeing breakthroughs that weren’t possible even a few years ago,” says Dr. Olin. “The work we’re doing now could lead to treatments that give patients more time and a better quality of life. We’re not just fighting brain tumors—we’re working toward a future where they can be cured.”
– Dr. Michael Olin
With dedicated researchers, ongoing clinical trials, and support from the brain tumor community, the future of treatment is looking brighter than ever. Every discovery brings us closer to more effective therapies—and ultimately, a cure.
