Advancing Treatments for Melanoma and Skin Cancer
Melanoma and Skin Cancer Program SPORE
This program is looking for new and better ways to treat melanoma and other skin cancers, especially when current treatments aren't enough.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11187069 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Many people with advanced melanoma don't fully benefit from current treatments, and some powerful therapies can have serious side effects. This program aims to find new and more effective ways to treat melanoma and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC), especially for those who haven't responded well to existing options. Researchers are testing new combinations of immunotherapy drugs in patients with melanoma who haven't received prior treatment. Another part of the program is looking at a new drug called CMP-001 alongside an existing immunotherapy for metastatic melanoma. There's also work on a new microneedle device to deliver chemotherapy more effectively.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with advanced melanoma or cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC), particularly those who have not yet received certain immunotherapies, may be ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Patients whose cancer is not melanoma or cSCC, or those who have already exhausted all immunotherapy options, may not directly benefit from these specific approaches.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to safer, more effective, and more cost-efficient treatments for melanoma and cSCC, improving outcomes for many patients.
How similar studies have performed: This program builds on innovative findings from the researchers, translating them into new clinical trials for novel combinatorial immunotherapies.
Where this research is happening
Pittsburgh, United States
- University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh — Pittsburgh, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zarour, Hassane M — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Zarour, Hassane M
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 below.