NIH-funded research NIH-funded research

7-marker protein test to predict NSCLC response to anti-PD-1 therapy

Official title: Analytic and Clinical Validation of a 7-plex MIF Assay for Predictive Response of Advanced NSCLC to Anti-PD-1 based Therapy

Funded at Johns Hopkins University · NIH-11552207 · Data updated 2026-11-12

A Johns Hopkins team is testing a 7-marker protein test to help predict which advanced NSCLC patients will respond to anti-PD-1 therapy.

More NSCLC research and trials

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionJohns Hopkins University
NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Baltimore, United States)
Project startSeptember 16, 2022
Project endAugust 31, 2029
Funding year2026
Award (this year)$314,097
NIH project number4UH3CA272905-03
Project IDNIH-11552207 on NIH RePORTER

Who could benefit from this research

Could help

Patients with advanced NSCLC whose pretreatment tumor tissue is available for biomarker testing.

Less likely to help

Patients whose tumors do not express the relevant biomarker patterns or who are not treated with anti-PD-1 based therapy.

What this research studies

This project develops a multiplex immunofluorescence assay that measures PD-L1, PD-1, CD8, FoxP3, CD68, a tumor marker, and a membrane marker on pretreatment tumor tissue. It adds spatial and co-expression information to improve prediction of who will benefit from anti-PD-1 therapy beyond PD-L1 alone. The approach focuses on NSCLC and uses tissue samples to enumerate immune and tumor cell features that relate to treatment response. Researchers aim to show that these combined biomarkers more accurately forecast benefit than current scoring alone.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the test could better identify NSCLC patients most likely to respond to anti-PD-1 therapy, potentially guiding treatment choices.

How similar studies have gone: Prior work shows PD-L1 alone is imperfect; combining multiple markers and spatial context is a promising but still emerging approach.

Where this research is happening

  • Johns Hopkins University
    Baltimore, United States
    Active

Researchers

  • Principal investigator: Taube, Janis M — Johns Hopkins University
  • Study coordinator: Taube, Janis M

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.