Alex Agnew donates another €100,000 to VUB Yamina Krossa Fund

Comedian Alex Agnew has donated another €100,000 to the VUB Yamina Krossa Fund for cancer research, bringing his total contribution to €200,000. His renewed support extends his VUB research chair and helps the fund reach the remarkable milestone of €1 million raised. The funding will directly support VUB Professor Damya Laoui's research into a vaccine designed to prevent cancer from returning or spreading. Agnew announced his latest donation in connection with his new show, No More Heroes, held at the AFAS Dome on 8, 9 and 10 October.

Yamina Krossa was deeply moved by this historic milestone: "I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude, pride and emotion when I think of the many donations we have received since I established my fund in 2018. Thanks to this tremendous boost from Alex Agnew, we have now surpassed the €1 million mark. It gives me so much hope for the clinical trial that Professor Damya Laoui and her team will be able to launch. Now let's reach €1.2 million – we're almost there!"

Preparing for clinical trials in 2027

The donation is vital to Professor Damya Laoui's research team. Her team has discovered that specific dendritic cells in the immune system can recognise cancer cells and activate other immune cells to attack tumours. Previous funding from the Alex Agnew Research Chair has already helped finance a €400,000 piece of advanced equipment, which is essential for isolating these cells from tumours before administering them to patients.

The research has now reached a critical stage, bringing a potential breakthrough closer. The team aims to submit an application to the Belgian Federal Agency for Medicines and Health Products (FAMHP) by mid-2027. Subject to regulatory approval and the introduction of new legislation governing cell-based therapies in August 2027, the team plans to launch its first clinical trial involving patients with lung cancer. The trial will assess the vaccine's safety and feasibility. Alex Agnew's latest donation will also enable the researchers to explore how this treatment could be developed into a sustainable therapeutic approach for patients with breast and ovarian cancer.

The need for research funding remains urgent

Although reaching €1 million is a major achievement, further funding remains essential. Preparing for and conducting the upcoming clinical trials will require substantial additional resources. Yamina Krossa, Damya Laoui and Alex Agnew hope this generous donation will inspire others to contribute, helping to advance research with the potential to save lives.