RARE CANCER RESEARCH EXPANDS TREATMENT ACCESS
Rare cancers account for more than 20% of all cancer diagnoses, yet individual tumour types are extremely uncommon and patients often face limited treatment options. These challenges can be greater for Australians living in rural, regional and remote areas, where access to clinical trials and new therapies may be more difficult.
The MoST-CIRCUIT phase II clinical trial, led by the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute with Associate Professor Oliver Klein as lead investigator, enrolled 240 patients across Australia and New Zealand to evaluate combination immunotherapy using nivolumab and ipilimumab. Published findings demonstrated strong and durable responses in several rare cancer cohorts, including a 63% objective response rate and 71% progression-free survival at six months in one cohort .
The program has continued to generate new findings and translate research into improved treatment access. Kylie Wilkie, Senior Manager Clinical Operations at the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, has advised that MoST-CIRCUIT data was instrumental in supporting the 2026 PBS listing of nivolumab and ipilimumab. This represents an important pathway from clinical trial evidence to broader access to immunotherapy for patients who may otherwise have limited treatment options.
Published in August 2026.