A New Way to Deliver Medicine for Brain Cancer
Official title: Smart CSF Delivery System for CNS Drug Therapy for Leptomeningeal Disease
Funded at Enclear Therapies, INC. · NIH-11200364 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project is developing a new method to deliver chemotherapy directly into the fluid around the brain and spinal cord for people with brain cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 1 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Enclear Therapies, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Newburyport, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | July 1, 2024 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $150,000 |
| NIH project number | 3R43CA281429-02S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11200364 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This research is currently in preclinical development, but future studies would ideally involve patients with leptomeningeal disease or other brain cancers where chemotherapy struggles to reach the affected areas.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose cancer does not involve the brain or spinal fluid, or those who cannot tolerate direct brain/spinal fluid interventions, may not benefit from this specific approach.
What this research studies
Treating cancer cells in the brain is challenging because the body's natural defenses, like the blood-brain barrier, block many medicines. While current treatments can deliver chemotherapy into the fluid surrounding the brain, the medicine often doesn't spread well or stay long enough to be fully effective. This project aims to create a 'smart' delivery system that actively circulates chemotherapy throughout this fluid, helping it reach more areas and stay longer. The initial phase will test the safety and effectiveness of this new system in large animal models.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this new delivery method could allow chemotherapy to reach brain cancer cells more effectively, potentially improving treatment outcomes for patients.
How similar studies have gone: While direct delivery of chemotherapy into the spinal fluid has been used, this project introduces a novel, actively controlled circulation system to enhance drug distribution, which is a new approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Enclear Therapies, INC.
Newburyport, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Glicksman, Marcie a — Enclear Therapies, INC.
- Study coordinator: Glicksman, Marcie a
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.