Living Drugs Screening and Panel Discussion

We hosted a screening of the documentary Living Drugs at the MaRS Centre Auditorium in Toronto on October 23, 2024. The film delves into the groundbreaking work of Dr. Michel Sadelain, 2024 Canada Gairdner International Award laureate, highlighting his pioneering contributions to chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy—a treatment that genetically modifies a patient's own immune cells to combat cancer. 

Living Drugs features interviews with scientists integral to the development of CAR T-cell therapy and shares compelling patient stories from Canada, the U.S., and beyond. The documentary reveals the challenges and triumphs in bringing this innovative treatment from concept to clinical application. 

Following the screening, Carly Weeks from St. Joseph’s Healthcare, moderated a live panel discussion to dive further into the therapy's development and impact. The panel included Dr. Sadelain; Dr. Isabelle Riviere, his collaborator; Dr. Jonas Mattsson, a leading expert in hematology; and Camille Leahy, a patient who benefited from CAR T-cell therapy.

This event highlighted the promise of CAR T-cell therapy and the collaborative journey of scientists and patients in advancing cancer treatment.

Watch the trailer for Living Drugs below, and find out more information on this documentary here!

Watch the full panel discussion here!