Matt McGuire, who was serving as interim president and CEO for Cancer Treatment Centers of America at Western Regional Medical Center, has been selected for the position on a permanent basis.
Last month, the hospital launched its first Phase I clinical trial with an investigational agent targeting the immune system.
“We’re going to see a lot more of those programs as we enter 2014,” McGuire said. “We have had seven or eight initial site visits from the pharmaceutical industry over the past six weeks. A lot of those trials will become active as we move into 2014.”
The trial is testing a drug that is designed to allow the body’s immune system to recognize cancer cells as foreign cells within the body.
“This is a very exciting space that is getting a lot of focused research throughout pharma these days,” McGuire said. “We’re excited to bring that option for our patients.”
Greg Vigdor, president and CEO of the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association, said he is glad to see CTCA conducting cancer research in the Valley.
CTCA’s efforts build on what Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale Healthcare, Banner MD Anderson andUniversity of Arizona are doing in cancer research, he said, creating a community with a reputation for cancer research.
“There are so many retirees and snowbirds here, you have to have a strong medial care system,” Vigdor said.
Angela Gonzales covers health, biotech and education.
