A new virus treatment for pancreatic cancer
Official title: A novel oncolytic virus for pancreatic cancer immunotherapy
Funded at Lsu Health Sciences Center · NIH-11192537 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is exploring a new way to treat pancreatic cancer using specially designed viruses that can kill cancer cells and help the immune system fight the tumor better, aiming to improve outcomes for patients who currently have limited treatment options.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Lsu Health Sciences Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Orleans, United States) |
| Project start | September 12, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $249,900 |
| NIH project number | 5P20GM121288-08 |
| Project ID | NIH-11192537 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer who have not responded well to standard treatments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with early-stage pancreatic cancer who are candidates for surgical resection may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates a novel approach to treating pancreatic cancer using engineered oncolytic viruses. These viruses are designed to not only kill cancer cells directly but also to enhance the immune response against the tumor. By converting 'cold' tumors, which do not respond well to traditional immunotherapy, into 'hot' tumors that can be effectively targeted by the immune system, this project aims to improve treatment outcomes for patients. The study will involve bioengineering a specific virus to express enzymes that can help overcome the challenges posed by the tumor microenvironment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide a new and effective treatment option for patients with pancreatic cancer, potentially improving survival rates and quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promising results using oncolytic viruses in treating various cancers, indicating potential for success in this novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Lsu Health Sciences Center
New Orleans, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Moaven, Omeed — Lsu Health Sciences Center
- Study coordinator: Moaven, Omeed
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding how T cell receptors affect pancreatic cancer immunotherapy
A cancer research grant is exploring how specific T cells recognize pancreatic cancer and how that recognition might predict or improve responses to immunotherapy.
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Novel virus therapy to help pancreatic cancer patients fight their disease
A new oncolytic virus designed to target pancreatic cancer is being developed to help patients by boosting immune response and overcoming treatment resistance.
-
Recombinant IL-33 Immunotherapy for Pancreatic Cancer
A new immunotherapy approach using recombinant IL-33 aims to help people with pancreatic cancer by activating immune cells inside tumors to fight the cancer.
-
Blocking VIP signaling to help the immune system fight pancreatic cancer
This grant tests a new approach aimed at helping the immune system attack pancreatic cancer by blocking a signaling pathway that's dampening immune responses in tumors.
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Engineering smart nanoparticles to help the immune system fight pancreatic cancer
Aims to use tiny, specially designed particles to deliver cancer-fighting drugs and immune-boosting signals to pancreatic tumors to help the body attack the cancer.
-
TROP2-targeting CAR-NK therapy for pancreatic cancer
This project develops an off-the-shelf natural killer (NK) cell therapy engineered to target the TROP2 protein on pancreatic cancer cells.
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.