CB-202: a new drug that blocks MCT4 to target triple-negative breast cancer and some leukemias
Official title: Development and Therapeutic Efficacy of a Novel Lactate Transporter inhibitor (MCT4) CB-202 in tumors that overexpress MCT4, such as Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) and Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AL
Funded at Charles R. Drew University of Med & Sci · NIH-11375952 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project is developing a drug called CB-202 that blocks a cancer protein (MCT4) to try to slow triple-negative breast cancer and certain acute myeloid leukemias.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Charles R. Drew University of Med & Sci NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | September 28, 2009 |
| Project end | February 28, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $217,928 |
| NIH project number | 5U54MD007598-18 |
| Project ID | NIH-11375952 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be people with triple-negative breast cancer or acute myeloid leukemia whose tumors show high levels of MCT4 and who are open to future clinical testing.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose tumors do not overexpress MCT4 or who cannot undergo experimental treatments are unlikely to benefit from this therapy.
What this research studies
The team is creating a drug named CB-202 that stops MCT4, a protein cancer cells use to manage lactate and survive. Researchers will test CB-202 in laboratory and animal tumor models of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) to see if it slows growth and increases sensitivity to chemotherapy. The work focuses on tumors that overexpress MCT4 and may use patient-derived samples to identify who could benefit. If results are promising, the project aims to move toward clinical testing in people.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to a targeted therapy that slows tumor growth and makes chemotherapy more effective for patients with MCT4-high TNBC or AML.
How similar studies have gone: Targeting monocarboxylate transporters like MCT4 has shown promising results in lab and animal studies, but clinical evidence in people is still limited.
Where this research is happening
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Charles R. Drew University of Med & Sci
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wu, Yong — Charles R. Drew University of Med & Sci
- Study coordinator: Wu, Yong
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Genomic study to understand how genetics and epigenetics shape triple-negative breast cancer in African ancestry
This study looks at how inherited genes and gene activity affect triple-negative breast cancer in people of African ancestry to better understand why outcomes can be worse.
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Targeting the SCP4 pathway in acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
Aims to uncover how the SCP4 signaling pathway drives AML and how it could be blocked to help patients.
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Co-Targeting IL-6 and CDK4/6 to Prevent TNBC in Women Veterans
A study aims to block two cancer-promoting pathways (IL-6 and CDK4/6) to prevent or reduce progression of triple-negative breast cancer in women veterans.
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Linking heavy metal exposure to a tougher breast cancer type (TNBC)
Aimed at understanding how heavy metals like cadmium might trigger a dangerous breast cancer type (TNBC) in people, especially those with BRCA1 risk, to identify possible future treatment strategies.
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Dormancy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: How Liver and Skin Metastases Go Quiet or Reactivate
Researchers will study how dormant cancer cells in liver and skin metastases of triple-negative breast cancer become quiescent or wake up, using organ-on-chip models and single-cell analysis to map chromatin states.
-
Rac-enhanced CAR-Macrophages against TNBC
A new cell therapy approach uses engineered macrophages with a CAR and Rac2 activation to target and kill triple-negative breast cancer cells expressing CSPG4.
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.