A new medicine to prevent and treat radiation-related mouth sores
Official title: Preclinical assessment of a novel compound for treating radiation-induced oral mucositis
Funded at Sinopia Biosciences, INC. · NIH-11182472 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new oral drug is being developed to prevent or shorten painful mouth sores in people getting radiation to the head and neck.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sinopia Biosciences, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Diego, United States) |
| Project start | September 5, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $849,193 |
| NIH project number | 5R44DE031464-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11182472 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People receiving radiation therapy to the head or neck who are at risk for developing oral mucositis would be the likely candidates for this therapy in future trials.
✕Less likely to help
People not undergoing head or neck radiation or whose mouth sores are caused by unrelated conditions are unlikely to benefit from this treatment.
What this research studies
Researchers used a computational platform to find a drug target and a small molecule that could protect mouth lining from radiation damage. They gave the compound by mouth in a well-established hamster model of radiation-induced oral mucositis and saw shorter ulcer duration and, in some animals, complete prevention of ulcers. The compound targets a family of BET bromodomain proteins and the team identified a specific domain that appears safest for this effect. This program is in preclinical development at a San Diego biotech company to prepare for possible human testing.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the drug could reduce or prevent painful mouth sores and speed recovery for patients receiving head and neck radiotherapy.
How similar studies have gone: BET-family inhibitors have been given to cancer patients with an established safety profile, but using them specifically to prevent radiation mouth sores is a novel approach with promising animal data.
Where this research is happening
-
Sinopia Biosciences, INC.
San Diego, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lloyd, Colton Joseph — Sinopia Biosciences, INC.
- Study coordinator: Lloyd, Colton Joseph
Related research
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Prophylactic and therapeutic oral gel to prevent and treat radiation-induced mouth ulcers in cancer patients
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Understanding and treating pain and mouth sores from radiation for head and neck cancer
This work explores new ways to relieve the burning pain and mouth sores that often happen after radiation therapy for head and neck 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.