Blocking Pyk2 to help immune therapy work better for glioblastoma
Official title: Pyk2 inhibition mitigates immunosuppressive environment and enhances therapeutic response to immune checkpoint inhibitors in GBM
Funded at Universidad Central Del Caribe · NIH-11325413 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Seeing if stopping a protein called Pyk2 can make immune checkpoint drugs (like PD-L1 blockers) work better for people with glioblastoma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Universidad Central Del Caribe NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bayamon, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2024 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $130,869 |
| NIH project number | 5R16GM153522-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11325413 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with glioblastoma, particularly those with recurrent disease or tumors showing Pyk2/FAK activity, would be the most relevant candidates for related clinical efforts.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with brain conditions other than glioblastoma or whose tumors lack Pyk2/FAK activity are unlikely to benefit from this specific approach.
What this research studies
Researchers will study human glioblastoma tumors and lab models to see how Pyk2 and related FAK signaling shape the tumor's immune environment. They will reduce Pyk2/FAK activity using genetic and pharmacologic approaches and measure immune cells such as tumor-infiltrating myeloid cells and CD8+ T cells. They will test combining Pyk2 targeting with PD-L1 immune checkpoint blockade in preclinical models to see if that combination improves anti-tumor responses. The work aims to identify treatment strategies that could make immunotherapy more effective for glioblastoma patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could increase the number of glioblastoma patients who respond to immune checkpoint therapies or improve their outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Immune checkpoint drugs have had very limited success in glioblastoma so far, and targeting Pyk2/FAK is a newer preclinical strategy with promising laboratory signals but not yet proven in patients.
Where this research is happening
-
Universidad Central Del Caribe
Bayamon, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kucheryavykh, Lilia — Universidad Central Del Caribe
- Study coordinator: Kucheryavykh, Lilia
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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.