‘Incredibly excited’: Richard Scolyer hails new US trial for brain cancer
Sydney Morning Herald
by Garry MaddoxFebruary 13, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
Professor Richard Scolyer, a world-renowned pathologist and 2024 Australian of the Year, is leading an groundbreaking clinical trial for glioblastoma, a deadly form of brain cancer. The trial, named GIANT (Glioblastoma Immunotherapy Advancement with Nivolumab and Relatlimab), has officially begun in the United States, marking a significant step forward in the fight against this disease. Scolyer, who was diagnosed with glioblastoma in mid-2023, is cautiously optimistic about the potential of immunotherapy drugs like Nivolumab and Relatlimab to transform treatment approaches for this historically hard-to-treat cancer.
The trial is being conducted at five leading cancer centers across the U.S., including Duke University in North Carolina. It is divided into two phases: the first will assess the safety of the experimental treatment on a small group of newly diagnosed patients, while the second phase will involve a larger group receiving either one or both immunotherapy drugs before surgery, followed by conventional treatments like radiation and chemotherapy. This innovative approach aims to determine if combining immunotherapy with standard therapies can improve outcomes for glioblastoma patients.
Scolyer’s journey inspired the trial after he defied expectations following his diagnosis. Despite knowing his condition was incurable, he agreed to an experimental treatment proposed by colleague Professor Georgina Long, which involved using immunotherapy drugs that had shown success in treating melanoma. Scolyer’s survival and continued ability to function have provided hope for this groundbreaking research.
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Originally published on Sydney Morning Herald on 2/13/2026