Blocking a new immune checkpoint in bladder cancer
Official title: A New Immune Checkpoint Pathway in Human Bladder Cancer
Funded at Albert Einstein College of Medicine · NIH-11473209 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are trying medicines that block a newly found immune pathway to help people with bladder cancer, especially those whose tumors do not respond to current immunotherapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Albert Einstein College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bronx, United States) |
| Project start | December 1, 2022 |
| Project end | November 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $70,251 |
| NIH project number | 3R01CA262132-04S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11473209 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be people with advanced or metastatic bladder cancer, particularly those whose tumors failed to respond to PD-1/PD-L1 therapies or whose tumors express HHLA2.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without bladder cancer, those with early-stage disease managed by local therapy, or patients whose tumors lack HHLA2 expression are unlikely to benefit directly.
What this research studies
This project studies the KIR3DL3–HHLA2 immune pathway in human bladder tumors and immune cells from patients. The team will analyze tumor and antigen-presenting cell samples to learn how HHLA2 is produced and regulated, map how KIR3DL3 sends inhibitory signals, and test antibody approaches that block the interaction in lab and preclinical models. Work combines patient-derived samples, cellular experiments, and collaborative lab testing to develop new immunotherapy strategies. Results will guide whether blocking this pathway could become a treatment option for people with bladder cancer.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to new immunotherapies that help bladder cancer patients who don't benefit from existing PD-1/PD-L1 drugs.
How similar studies have gone: Blocking other immune checkpoints like PD-1/PD-L1 has helped some bladder cancer patients, but targeting the KIR3DL3–HHLA2 pathway is a new approach that has not yet been tested in people.
Where this research is happening
-
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Bronx, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zang, Xingxing — Albert Einstein College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Zang, Xingxing
Related research
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Racial and social factors linked to bladder cancer outcomes
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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.