Boosting tumor-fighting T cells by activating CD40 and type I interferon in tumors
Defining impact of in situ activation of CD40 and type 1 interferon signaling on theTME and systemic T cell immunity in murine models and cancer patients
['FUNDING_R01'] · H. LEE MOFFITT CANCER CTR & RES INST · NIH-11319867
The team aims to turn on two immune signals inside tumors to strengthen tumor-fighting T cells in people with cancer.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | H. LEE MOFFITT CANCER CTR & RES INST (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (TAMPA, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11319867 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
You would receive an injection of a specially designed oncolytic virus that delivers a CD40 ligand (MEM40) and type I interferon directly into the tumor. The project tests the approach in mice and in people by collecting tumor biopsies and blood samples to track CD8 T cells and changes in the tumor microenvironment. Investigators will measure whether the treatment increases the number and activity of tumor-reactive T cells and changes immune signals in and around tumors. If safe and promising, the work is intended to inform new intratumoral treatments that could be combined with existing immunotherapies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with accessible solid tumors who can undergo intratumoral injection, tumor biopsies, and serial blood draws, such as patients treated at an academic cancer center.
Not a fit: Patients with hematologic (blood) cancers, those who are severely immunocompromised, or those whose tumors cannot be safely injected or biopsied are unlikely to benefit from this intratumoral approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could increase tumor-specific T cells and improve responses to immunotherapies for some patients with solid tumors.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier oncolytic viruses and CD40-targeting therapies have shown encouraging immune effects in some trials, but combining in situ CD40L expression with type I interferon delivery is a relatively novel approach.
Where this research is happening
TAMPA, UNITED STATES
- H. LEE MOFFITT CANCER CTR & RES INST — TAMPA, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: BEG, AMER AZIZ — H. LEE MOFFITT CANCER CTR & RES INST
- Study coordinator: BEG, AMER AZIZ
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 below.