Donation from Saratoga man leads to FDA approved cancer treatment

ALBANY, N.Y. ( NEWS10 ) – In February, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new life-saving treatment for advanced melanoma thanks, in large part, to a record-breaking donation from Saratoga Springs resident Donald A. Adam.

In 2007, Adam, Chairman and CEO of American Momentum Bank, and a melanoma survivor, donated a record $20.4 million to the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute Foundation in Tampa, FL. to establish the Donald A. Adam Melanoma and Skin Cancer Center of Excellence. Now, research at the center has led to a groundbreaking treatment for advanced melanoma called Tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy.

TIL therapy employs a patient’s own immune cells to target and destroy cancer cells. Marketed under the brand name AMTAGVI by Iovance Biotherapeutics, Lifileucel has shown promising results in clinical trials, with 30-40% of patients experiencing either complete remission, or significant reduction in their tumors.

“It is heartwarming and brings deep gratification to have a gift play such a significant role in providing scientists and physicians the necessary funding to effectively treat and, one day, cure a disease that takes the lives of so many diagnosed with melanoma,” Adam said.

Melanoma constitutes about 1% of skin cancer cases but is responsible for the majority of skin cancer deaths. The founding of the Donald A. Adam Melanoma and Skin Cancer Center of Excellence has positioned Moffitt as a leading center for melanoma research and treatment in the United States.

TIL therapy now offers new hope to individuals with advanced melanoma, transforming Mr. Adam’s visionary investment into a beacon of hope for the thousands of Americans diagnosed with the disease each year.

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