BCMA CAR-T therapy with opaganib for ultrahigh risk multiple myeloma
Official title: Phase I/II clinical trial of in-house BCMA CAR T-cell therapy and opaganib in ultrahigh risk multiple myeloma
Funded at University of Oklahoma Hlth Sciences Ctr · NIH-11366573 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A first-in-human-style treatment using a patient’s own CAR-T cells plus a targeted drug to help people with very high-risk multiple myeloma live longer and better.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Oklahoma Hlth Sciences Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Oklahoma City, United States) |
| Project start | August 18, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $628,602 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA293516-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11366573 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with ultrahigh risk multiple myeloma who have completed or are completing standard induction therapy and are eligible for autologous CAR-T treatment.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without ultrahigh risk myeloma or those not eligible for CAR-T consolidation may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project plans to manufacture and give autologous BCMA CAR-T cells in a closed-system setup after standard induction therapy for ultrahigh risk multiple myeloma. It also tests adding opaganib, a sphingosine kinase 2 inhibitor, after CAR-T infusion to potentially boost immune attack against the cancer. The study combines a novel cellular therapy with a targeted agent to try to improve durability of response and survival in a population with very poor prognosis. If successful, this approach could offer a new consolidation strategy after initial treatment for these patients. The grant supports the manufacturing process, patient treatment, and mechanistic insights into how these therapies interact with tumor and immune cells.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with ultrahigh risk multiple myeloma could experience longer remissions and improved survival with a potentially more effective consolidation therapy.
How similar studies have gone: Early cell therapies in multiple myeloma have shown promise, but this exact combination with opaganib and in-house CAR-T is novel.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Oklahoma Hlth Sciences Ctr
Oklahoma City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kang, Yubin — University of Oklahoma Hlth Sciences Ctr
- Study coordinator: Kang, Yubin
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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CTO1681: reducing dangerous immune reactions in patients getting CAR T-cell therapy
A new oral drug (CTO1681) aims to prevent and lessen cytokine release syndrome in patients with blood cancers treated with CAR T-cell therapy.
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Improving durability of responses after CAR T therapy for myeloma
This grant explores new CAR T cell approaches to keep multiple myeloma patients in remission longer after initial treatment success.
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In Vivo Engineering of BCMA CAR T Cells for Multiple Myeloma
A new NIH grant aims to develop lipid nanoparticle systems that deliver BCMA CAR instructions directly to patients’ immune cells to treat multiple myeloma.
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Make CAR T therapy last longer for multiple myeloma
This project tries CAR T cells made from bone marrow immune cells to help people with multiple myeloma stay in remission longer.
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Integrative study of multiple myeloma genetics and disease biology
A team at Dana-Farber and partners is pursuing a long-term project to understand the genetic and molecular drivers of multiple myeloma and how treatments interact with disease biology.
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Comparative Modeling to Prevent, Detect Early, and Treat Multiple Myeloma
A research team will build and compare computer models to understand how multiple myeloma develops, can be detected earlier, and treated more effectively.
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.