Anti-viral drugs to make chemotherapy work better for cancer patients
Official title: Exploring the role and potential of anti-viral drugs to sensitize cancer cells to chemotherapy
Funded at Methodist Hospital Research Institute · NIH-11364187 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A cancer-focused study tests whether existing antiviral medicines can make chemotherapy more effective in solid and blood cancers.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Methodist Hospital Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $472,355 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA285203-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11364187 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with cancers that are currently treated with chemotherapy and show resistance or poor response to standard regimens.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose cancers do not respond to the antiviral-chemo combination or have contraindications to antiviral drugs may not benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers are exploring if antiviral drugs used for hepatitis C can make cancer cells more sensitive to standard chemotherapy. They identified Elbasvir and Daclatasvir as promising agents that can boost the impact of several chemotherapy drugs and even resensitize cells that had stopped responding. The plan involves testing these antivirals with multiple chemotherapy combinations, in both lab models and, potentially, patient-derived samples, to understand how they change drug retention and cancer cell death. If successful, this approach could allow lower chemo doses while maintaining or improving effectiveness. The work is conducted at the Methodist Hospital Research Institute in Houston under the supervision of Qing Yi, PhD.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could receive more effective cancer treatment with possibly lower chemotherapy doses.
How similar studies have gone: Initial lab findings show antiviral drugs can sensitize various cancer cells to chemotherapy, suggesting potential for translational impact.
Where this research is happening
-
Methodist Hospital Research Institute
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yi, Qing — Methodist Hospital Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Yi, Qing
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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.