Nigeria has commenced its first-ever clinical trial using immunotherapy for the treatment of colorectal cancer, marking a major milestone in the country’s cancer research and treatment landscape. This was unnveiled at a press conference on 4th February, 2026, the day set aside to mark World Cancer Day.
Prof. Olusegun Alatise, a Consultant General Surgeon at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife and a co-principal investigator of the clinical trial, in his speech at the press conference said the approval of the trial marks an important milestone in the fight against colorectal cancer in Nigeria and that the research could provide vital insights into a novel treatment strategies for patients with limited therapeutic options due to genetic mutation.
Colorectal cancer remains a growing public health concern in Nigeria, with less than half of patients surviving beyond one year after diagnosis. Researchers believe this study could significantly improve treatment outcomes and survival rates for affected patients.
The groundbreaking Phase II clinical trial is a global collaboration involving Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital (OAUTHC), Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), MedServe Nigeria, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) in the United States. The study is now actively enrolling patients following approvals from the National Health Research Ethics Committee (NHREC) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
The trial explores the use of PD-1 (Programmed Cell Death Protein-1) blockade immunotherapy in patients with mismatch repair–deficient (dMMR) colorectal cancer. This form of cancer, which affects nearly 30 percent of Nigerian colorectal cancer patients, does not respond well to conventional treatments such as chemotherapy. Immunotherapy offers a promising alternative by harnessing the body’s immune system to fight cancer.
The initiative builds on Memorial Sloan Kettering’s Global Cancer Research and Training (GCRT) program, launched in 2011 to strengthen cancer research and care in low- and middle-income countries. In 2013, MSK partnered with OAUTHC to establish the African Research Group for Oncology (ARGO), an NCI-recognized consortium supporting cancer research and training in Nigeria.
According to the Co-principal investigator and Director of Global Cancer Research and Training at MSK, Dr. T. Peter Kingham. “This trial builds on a groundbreaking study conducted at MSK that transformed treatment options for some colorectal cancer patients, we hope this pioneering effort will lead to a similar shift in treatment possibilities for Nigerian patients, offering a greater chance for cure.”
Patients will be recruited and treated at OAUTHC and LUTH, while MedServe’s NSIA Diagnostic Centre in Lagos will support diagnostic services. The immunotherapy drug, tislelizumab, will be supplied by BeiOne Medicines, with BioVentures for Global Health assisting with regulatory approvals. The study is partially funded by the Thompson Family Foundation.
Treatment under the trial will be provided free of charge at the initial phase for eligible patients receiving care at Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals complex and Lagos University Teaching Hospital, removing financial barriers and ensuring equitable access to this innovative therapy.