Cancer Research Institute Opens Nasdaq Market in Ceremony Celebrating Cancer Immunotherapy

If you watch the stock markets closely, you may have seen our CEO and director of scientific affairs, Jill O’Donnell-Tormey, PhD, ring the Nasdaq opening bell on Monday, October 31, along with Brad Loncar from Loncar Investments, which is the index provider to a cancer immunotherapy themed exchange-traded fund (ETF) that is traded on Nasdaq.

In his opening remarks, Brad Loncar highlighted the surge of interest in immuno-oncology and advances in cancer immunotherapy:

Loncar also spoke on the important role that charities can play in making sure immunotherapy reaches its full potential. Last year, Loncar pledged to donate a percentage of his index royalties to the Cancer Research Institute, citing CRI’s contributions over more than six decades to funding research that has laid the groundwork for today’s drug approvals.

O’Donnell-Tormey thanked Loncar for his support of CRI, and shared her excitement over recent scientific progress that has allowed us to find answers to some of the most difficult questions in cancer research.

“We are seeing a revolution in cancer treatments, and in the coming years I think more and more immunotherapies are going to be backbone of care for all cancers. And that’s our goal—to see immunotherapy impact more patients in more types of cancer. And it’s thanks to people who donate to CRI that we’re able to do this.”

You can watch the full video here.

Following the opening bell ceremony, O’Donnell-Tormey appeared in a Facebook live interview with Nasdaq’s Bradley Smith of “Behind the Bell,” during which she discussed in more detail some of the latest advances in cancer immunotherapy and how the Cancer Research Institute is helping to advance this exciting new class of cancer treatments.

You can watch the full interview here.

CRI wishes to extend a heartfelt thanks to Brad Loncar for selecting CRI as the beneficiary of his company’s charitable giving and for inviting us to participate in this special celebration of cancer immunotherapy.