A new treatment for bladder cancer using a modified vaccine

STING agonist-expressing BCG for bladder cancer

NIH-funded research Oncosting LLC · NIH-10668536

This study is testing a new treatment for bladder cancer that uses a special version of a vaccine to help your immune system fight the cancer better, especially if standard treatments haven't worked for you.

Quick facts

Grant typeSbir 2 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionOncosting LLC NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Baltimore, United States)
Project IDNIH-10668536 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research focuses on developing a novel immunotherapy for bladder cancer, specifically targeting non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). The approach involves using a modified version of the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine that has been engineered to express a potent STING agonist, which enhances the body's immune response against cancer cells. By leveraging the established use of BCG, this treatment aims to improve outcomes for patients who do not respond to standard therapies. The study will evaluate the effectiveness of this new treatment in stimulating anti-tumor responses through the immune system.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are patients diagnosed with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer who have not responded to standard BCG treatment.

Not a fit: Patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer or those who have not been diagnosed with bladder cancer may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide a more effective treatment option for patients with bladder cancer, particularly those who are unresponsive to current therapies.

How similar studies have performed: While there have been efforts to improve BCG treatments, this specific approach using STING agonists in a live bacterial vaccine is novel and has not been widely tested.

Where this research is happening

Baltimore, United States

Researchers

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 below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 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.