Groundbreaking work in immunotherapy earns John Haanen a Bob Pinedo Cancer Care Award 2024

18-09-2024

John Haanen, pioneer in cancer immunotherapy, has been awarded the prestigious Bob Pinedo Cancer Care Award. This award is presented to oncologists dedicated to scientific research and care for cancer patients. Haanen will be recognized for over twenty years of commitment and innovation in immunology, a field that has resulted in major breakthroughs in cancer treatment over the past 15 years. As a researcher and medical oncologist, he primarily focuses on melanoma patient care, combining his research with clinical practice. Haanen's work is internationally recognized because of his courage to find the road less taken, as well as its significant impact. Haanen will receive his award on November 21.

Together with a new generation of researchers, Haanen developed a treatment that helps the immune system target cancer cells more effectively. One of his most notable achievements is the development of tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy for melanoma. TIL therapy is a cancer treatment that enhances the patient’s own immune cells, collected from the tumor, and returns them to the patient, where they fight cancer more effectively. This therapy shows impressive results after just 4-6 weeks of treatment: better survival rates without cancer recurrence and a better quality of life for patients.

TIL therapy is now a standard treatment for melanoma patients in the Netherlands and Denmark and has been fully covered by health insurance since January 15, 2023. This therapy will soon be available for other types of cancer, including lung cancer and cervical cancer, further emphasizing Haanen’s key role in the field of cell therapy at large.

'You never research alone'

Haanen: “It's an incredible honor to be awarded the Bob Pinedo Cancer Care Award is an incredible honor - for me, and for the team of researchers and physicians I’ve worked with over the past decades. You never research alone. We are now working towards a better understanding of the way TIL works, and how we can improve this treatment even further. This is expensive research, and the prize money will help us continue this important work.”

About the award

The Bob Pinedo Cancer Care Award is a biennial award intended for a researcher (or team of researchers) whose contribution to cancer research and compassionate cancer patient care is regarded as outstanding. The Award is named after the Dutch cancer researcher Bob Pinedo (Curaçao, 1943). The KNAW is responsible for the nominations and selection process. The Academy has handled the nomination and selection process since 2016. The laureate receives 100,000 euros to be used for research, and a bronze sculpture of Pinedo's hand, symbolizing strength and hope.

Groundbreaking work in immunotherapy earns John Haanen a Bob Pinedo Cancer Care Award 2024

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