A new immunotherapy to improve solid tumor treatment
Official title: Immunotherapy to deplete key Treg subsets in solid tumors
Funded at Sonoval LLC · NIH-11168862 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project is developing a new type of immunotherapy to help more people with solid tumors like lung cancer and melanoma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sonoval LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Gaithersburg, United States) |
| Project start | August 13, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $706,495 |
| NIH project number | 5R44CA295167-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11168862 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with solid tumors, such as non-small cell lung cancer and melanoma, who have not fully responded to current immunotherapies, might be ideal candidates for future studies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without solid tumors or those whose cancer does not involve high levels of Treg cells may not benefit from this specific approach.
What this research studies
Current immunotherapies, such as checkpoint inhibitors, are effective for only a fraction of patients with solid tumors, leaving a significant need for better treatments. This project focuses on regulatory T (Treg) cells, which are immune cells that can prevent the body from fighting cancer effectively. Researchers are creating a new drug called SON-211, designed to safely reduce these Treg cells within tumors. By targeting and depleting these specific cells, the goal is to boost the body's natural anti-tumor immune response and make existing immunotherapies work better for more patients. This new drug aims to overcome the serious side effects seen with older, similar treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this new immunotherapy could make existing cancer treatments more effective for a wider range of patients with solid tumors and reduce severe side effects.
How similar studies have gone: An earlier Treg-depleting immunotherapy was on the market but had significant side effects, and a 'cleaner' version is approved in Japan, indicating the potential of this approach while highlighting the need for safer alternatives.
Where this research is happening
-
Sonoval LLC
Gaithersburg, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Suzdak, Peter David — Sonoval LLC
- Study coordinator: Suzdak, Peter David
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Plant virus-based immunotherapy for solid tumors
A small, early-stage program aims to develop a plant virus-based therapy injected into tumors to help the body fight solid cancers.
-
Oral Microbiome–Based Aid to Immunotherapy for Refractory Solid Tumors
A mouth-to-tumor therapy using a probiotic-like approach to help immune checkpoint drugs work better for patients whose solid tumors don’t respond well to current treatments.
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Targeting specific immune cells to improve cancer treatment
This study is testing a new treatment that aims to help your immune system fight solid tumors like lung cancer and melanoma by targeting certain cells that block its natural response, and it’s designed to be safer and more effective than previous options.
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Boosting immune response to fight cancer
This study is exploring a new way to help your immune system better fight cancer by tweaking certain cells in your body, and it aims to improve treatment for people with advanced cancer.
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A center focused on immunotherapy for pediatric cancers.
This study is exploring new ways to use the body's immune system to fight childhood cancers, aiming to create better treatments for kids whose cancers haven't responded well to standard therapies.
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Algorithms to find HLA-E neoantigens for cancer immunotherapy
Aims to develop computer methods to discover tumor-specific targets presented by HLA-E to guide new T cell therapies for cancer.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.