Five Years of Innovation and Impact

Transforming the patient experience

From the moment it opened in January 2020, the David H. Koch Center for Cancer Care at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) transformed the patient experience throughout MSK. Nearly every person treated at MSK comes to this award-winning, state-of-the-art outpatient facility, where they receive the most advanced cancer therapies and services in a serene and welcoming environment. Within these same walls, groundbreaking cancer research is conducted, providing our scientists with leading-edge spaces to explore novel ideas and achieve breakthroughs that enhance patient outcomes and save lives.

Every success achieved within the David H. Koch Center for Cancer Care stems from the transformative commitment made by David and Julia Koch in 2015.

“As we reflect on the past five years of innovation and impact, we must first recognize the extraordinary philanthropy of the late David Koch and his wife, Julia,” says Selwyn M. Vickers, MD, FACS, President and CEO of MSK and Douglas A. Warner III Chair. David Koch, a dedicated and longtime member of MSK’s Board, died in 2019, just months before the center’s opening. “Their landmark gift to establish the David H. Koch Center for Cancer Care spurred a new era in cancer medicine that enhances MSK’s mission of ending cancer for life and provides hope to people with cancer around the world. We are forever grateful for their foresight and generosity.”

A well-known businessman and philanthropist, David Koch left a legacy that resonates throughout the 750,000-square-foot building. From the innovations in cancer research to the vibrant artwork displayed throughout the facility to the hospitality extended to every guest, his generosity is everywhere.

“David dedicated much of his life to championing causes around the world and had a particular interest in advancing cancer research and improving care for those impacted by the disease,” Julia Koch explains. “He would be proud of all the remarkable achievements made so far within the David H. Koch Center for Cancer Care, and I am honored to carry forward his legacy.”

A multifaceted facility focused on patient care

The past five years have brought both notable successes and unforeseen challenges. Six weeks after the David H. Koch Center for Cancer Care began seeing patients, the COVID-19 pandemic shut down New York City. The building played a central role in MSK’s COVID-19 response, functioning as both a testing and vaccination site. Health and safety protocols soon allowed for the resumption of in-person visits alongside telemedicine services.

In the years since, the David H. Koch Center for Cancer Care has fully returned to its intended purpose, providing patients with comprehensive outpatient cancer care across a broad range of specialties. Services include chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy, blood and bone marrow transplants, clinical trials, and rehabilitation. The 25-story building features 231 exam rooms, 110 private infusion rooms, 37 procedure rooms, and 16 private rooms for those who require a short stay. Families and loved ones can access comfortable waiting spaces, a restaurant and café, a retail shop, and a terrace to connect with the outdoors.

“The David H. Koch Center for Cancer Care has reimagined the way cancer care is delivered,” says Scott M. Stuart, Chair of MSK’s Board of Trustees. “Every aspect has been artfully designed with patients and families in mind, as MSK care providers work to address their diverse needs and offer comfort during one of the most difficult times in their lives.”

Innovative research driving novel discoveries

Under the same roof, MSK scientists are using sophisticated technology and conducting leading-edge research to find new cancer treatments and cures. The David H. Koch Center for Cancer Care boasts the area’s largest infrastructure for early-phase clinical trials, which investigate the safety and effectiveness of new drugs. When a patient comes to MSK’s Early Drug Development (EDD) Service for care, many times they have exhausted all other treatment options. The EDD Service provides them with the opportunity to access novel therapies that may extend or save lives.

In the past five years, research led by the EDD Service has resulted in nine FDA approvals as well as three Breakthrough Therapy designations, which expedite the development and review of drugs that have the potential to treat a serious or life-threatening condition. The service has opened 73 clinical trials, enrolling more than 800 patients, and its researchers have authored or contributed to over 160 scientific publications.

The David H. Koch Center for Cancer Care is also home to the largest gathering of hematologic experts at MSK, including specialists in blood and marrow stem cell transplants, CAR T cell therapy, lymphoma, leukemia, multiple myeloma, and other blood cancers. Lifesaving treatments are delivered with innovative medical technology, including one of the country’s first MR-LINACs — a combination of radiation therapy and magnetic resonance imaging.

“The clinic suite, developmental therapeutics unit, investigational pharmacy unit, and access to expertise from other services and departments within the building have been integral to our success,” explains Chief of MSK’s EDD Service Alexander Drilon, MD. “The David H. Koch Center for Cancer Care has provided the infrastructure that makes the EDD’s clinical trials possible, allowing us to test new therapies that can deliver long-lasting benefits to patients.”

Looking ahead

The pioneering research and comprehensive care occurring within the David H. Koch Center for Cancer Care impacts many lives, providing space for patients, families, caregivers, clinicians, and researchers to come together with the shared hope of advancing MSK’s mission of ending cancer for life. David and Julia Koch’s vision and philanthropy made it all possible, and their influence will impact the next generation through the lives saved and discoveries to come.