Cooperative Trials Group for Neuro-Oncology

Time of transition and expansion

The past 12-15 months have been a time of transition and growth for COGNO. Under the leadership of the COGNO Management Committee, COGNO Board, and Executive Officer Dr Vino Pillay, the COGNO team has expanded to include Research Development, Operations and Strategy. Communications, Member Engagement, and Project Officer functions.

We have seen strong recruitment across Australia and Canada (via the Canadian Cancer Trials Group) into the LUMOS2 (Low and Anaplastic Grade Glioma Umbrella Study of Molecular Guided TherapieS) study in recurrent lower grade glioma, led by COGNO Principal Investigator Professor Hui Gan. We are now seeking to expand the platform with the addition of new arms.

The COGNO Scientific Advisory Committee continues to support development of a range of concepts spanning primary and secondary brain cancer; this year saw the highest number of new concepts discussed per annum. Competitive grant applications were submitted across brain tumour cohorts including glioblastoma, lower grade glioma, and a theranostics trial in meningioma.

COGNO trial portfolio

COGNO’s current trials portfolio includes:

Trial Open to Recruitment

LUMOS2 – Low and Intermediate Grade Glioma Umbrella Study of Molecular Guided TherapieS study with active arms across Australia and Canada.

Study contact: [email protected]

Trial in startup, multisite Phase 1 trial

OPAL – a national, multisite Phase 1 clinical trial of CT-179, a first-in-class orally bioavailable brain penetrant small molecule targeting OLIG2, a key protein associated with glioblastoma cancer stem cells.

The OPAL study is supported by a grant from the Australian Brain Cancer Mission to enhance international collaboration and expand access to new therapies for Australian patients. Importantly, OPAL marks COGNO and ABCARA first ever Phase 1 trial – bridging groundbreaking pre-clinical discoveries to early phase clinical testing, and helping translate key discoveries from bench to bedside, a vision shared by both COGNO and ABCARA.

Trial – in follow up

MAGMA (Multi-Arm GlioblastoMa Australasia Trial) – funded by MRFF, MAGMA is a multi-arm multi-stage, multi-centre, phase 3 platform trial that aims to assess hypotheses against a common standard-of-care control arm for the management of people with newly diagnosed glioblastoma.

This has been the largest COGNO-led trial to date. Recruitment was completed in July 2023 with 338 patients across 28 sites. The trial remains in follow up with results expected in 2026.

Study contact: [email protected]

COGNO events

COGNO 2025 events included:

• • Masterclass Management of Low-grade Glioma webinar – May 2025
  • COGNO Ideas Generation Workshop with 2 glioma concepts discussed – June 2025
  • Post Society of Neuro-oncology (SNO) ASM Update webinar – scheduled for 3 December 2025 – an update on the most significant treatment advances in primary brain cancer presented at the World Federation of Neuro-oncological Societies (SNO) ASM in Honolulu, USA in November 2025. Coordinated by the COGNO Outreach and Education Committee.

17th COGNO Annual Scientific Meeting

COGNO’s 17^th ASM themed, ‘New Horizons, Novel Therapies’, was held on 15-16 September 2025 on the Gold Coast in conjunction with the fourth Australian Brain Cancer Research Alliance (ABCARA) Research Symposium, and the BTAA and COGNO co-sponsored Patient Education and Information Forum. Attendance at the ASM eclipsed the record attendance of 2024.

The inaugural Jenny Chow Award was presented at the 2025 ASM. This special award acknowledges an individual who has made a sustained and significant contribution to COGNO and the neuro-oncology community in Australasia, and who has demonstrated community spirit and been an “unsung hero” to their peers. The recipient of the 2025 award was Associate Professor Elizabeth Hovey, Medical Oncologist, Prince of Wales Hospital and Conjoint Associate Professor, University of New South Wales.

Pictured: COGNO Chair, Eng-Siew Koh with inaugural Jenny Chow Award recipient, Elizabeth Hovey.

Publications and presentations

COGNO-led trial related presentations and publications in the last 12 months have included:

• • Low & Anaplastic Grade Glioma Umbrella Study of MOlecular Guided TherapieS (LUMOS-2): study protocol for a phase 2, prospective, multicentre, open-label, multiarm, biomarker-directed, signal-seeking, umbrella, clinical trial for recurrent IDH mutant, grade 2/3 glioma McParland K, Koh ES, Kong B, Sim H-W, … Gan HK. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-087922
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  • Contemporary Patterns of Care for Low-Grade Glioma in Australia and New Zealand Maddula M, McNamee N, Gan HK, Satgunaseelan L, Koh E-S, Han CH, Thavaneswaran S. Current Oncology 32 (3), 183. Mar 20;32(3):183. doi.org/10.3390/curroncol32030183
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  • LUMOS2 trial update – poster abstract presentation, COGNO Annual Scientific Meeting, September 2025
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  • ‘Low and Intermediate Grade Glioma Umbrella Study of Molecular Guided TherapieS (LUMOS2) study’ – poster abstract presentation, World Federation of Neuro-oncology Societies/ Society for Neuro-Oncology, Annual Scientific Meeting, Honolulu, November 2025

I would sincerely like to thank the entire COGNO leadership team and staff, in particular, Professor Rosemary Harrup in her role as COGNO Deputy Chair and COGNO Board Chair, as well as Executive Officer Dr Vino Pillay and the entire COGNO Network for their contributions to the success of COGNO and for their utmost commitment to improving outcomes for all those affected by brain cancer.

Associate Professor Eng-Siew Koh
MBBS FRANZCR
Chair, COGNO Network
Chair, COSA Neuro-oncology