A cancer center is preparing to open South Jersey’s first stem cell transplant program. The 30-bed unit for patients with blood and other cancers, as well as bone marrow disorders, is expected to open this fall at MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper University Health Care.
The program will operate from space reserved for its use since the four-story, 130,000-square-foot center opened a decade ago. Strair, the program’s director, also noted the development of “more effective and less toxic therapies … to meet the needs of increasing numbers of patients from our area.” In addition, the program will offer cell therapy, which treats patients with their own modified immune cells. Cooper and MD Anderson in September announced plans for a $2 billion expansion of the cancer center. The project is to include construction of three clinical towers with more than 100 patient rooms. The Camden center initially will offer autologous transplants, where the patient is able to provide their own stem cells. It expects to provide allogenic transplants, which involve donor cells, next year.
Separately, Cooper and two partners in July announced initial pledged funding of $30 million for an effort “to investigate cancer and translate basic cancer science into new treatments.” Its partners are Coriell Institute for Medical Research and Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, both in Camden.