Ariginine-depleting therapy plus chemotherapy for aggressive variant prostate cancers
Official title: Effects of Arginine Depletion Combined with Platinum-Taxane Chemotherapy in Aggressive Variant Prostate Cancers (AVPC)
Funded at University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr · NIH-11391400 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests whether removing arginine from the body enhances chemotherapy for men with a difficult-to-treat prostate cancer subtype.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | September 21, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $636,578 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA283402-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11391400 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Men with aggressive variant prostate cancer (AVPC) who may have limited options and could be eligible for combination therapy trials.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without AVPC or those who do not tolerate chemotherapy or arginine-depleting therapy may not benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers will study how combining arginine depletion with standard chemotherapy affects aggressive variant prostate cancers in patients and in preclinical models. They will analyze tumor and blood samples to identify biomarkers that predict response and to understand how the treatment changes cancer biology. The work includes trials and mouse studies to refine biologically based combination therapy strategies for AVPC. The team will look at how PARP inhibitors and immune therapy add-ons interact with chemotherapy in AVPC and how arginine metabolism drives treatment response. Overall, the aim is to develop rational, biomarker-guided therapies for this lethal cancer subtype.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with AVPC could have more effective treatment options and longer-lasting responses.
How similar studies have gone: Early data suggest potential benefits of adding targeted therapies to chemotherapy in AVPC, but results are still emerging.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Aparicio, Ana — University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
- Study coordinator: Aparicio, Ana
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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.