Brush-like polymer carriers to deliver combo drugs and image pancreatic tumors
Bottlebrush polymer prodrugs for targeted delivery of combination therapies and in vivo imaging of pharmacological response
This project uses tiny brush-shaped polymers to deliver combinations of cancer medicines directly into pancreatic tumors and to image how the tumors respond.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cambridge, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11233274 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are building tiny, brush-shaped polymers that can carry several drug molecules and imaging tags inside a single particle. The design aims to help medicines penetrate the dense, scarring tissue around pancreatic tumors and release drugs where they're needed. In lab and animal tests they plan to combine an epigenetic drug (a BET inhibitor) with immune checkpoint therapy, watch immune cells become activated, and use imaging to see where drugs go and how tumors react. The team hopes this targeted approach will lower the systemic side effects seen when these drugs are given to the whole body.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, especially those whose tumors do not respond to standard treatments, would be the most relevant candidates.
Not a fit: Patients who do not have pancreatic cancer, or whose disease is already well controlled by current treatments, are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could make combination therapies for pancreatic cancer more effective while reducing side effects and letting doctors see whether the tumor is responding.
How similar studies have performed: Preclinical work shows BET inhibitors can boost anti-tumor immune activity and help when paired with checkpoint blockers, but using bottlebrush polymer prodrugs for targeted delivery and imaging is a newer approach with limited clinical data.
Where this research is happening
Cambridge, United States
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology — Cambridge, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Johnson, Jeremiah Allen — Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Johnson, Jeremiah Allen
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.