Cirtuvivint plus olaparib for BRCA/HRD ovarian cancer that stopped responding to platinum
Official title: Evaluation of combination CLK/DYRK (Cirtuvivint) inhibition with PARP inhibition (Olaparib) in BRCA/HRD platinum resistant ovarian cancer
Funded at University of Colorado Denver · NIH-11179129 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work adds cirtuvivint to the PARP drug olaparib to try to help people with BRCA-mutated or homologous recombination–deficient ovarian cancer that no longer responds to platinum chemotherapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado Denver NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $400,444 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA288651-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11179129 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with ovarian cancer whose tumors have BRCA1/2 mutations or homologous recombination deficiency and whose disease recurred after platinum chemotherapy and became resistant to PARP inhibitors are the most likely candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose tumors do not have BRCA mutations or HRD, whose disease remains platinum- and PARP-sensitive, or who cannot tolerate these drugs are less likely to benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
Researchers are exploring whether the new drug cirtuvivint can make the PARP inhibitor olaparib work again for people whose BRCA- or HRD-driven ovarian cancer has become resistant to platinum and PARP therapy. In the lab they will study how the drugs act together on cancer cells and animal models, focusing on changes in RNA splicing, Wnt signaling, and DNA R-loop formation that may make tumors more vulnerable. The team will also use tumor samples and preclinical models to measure whether the combination reverses resistance. If the preclinical results are promising, the work could support future clinical trials offering the combination to patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could restore response to PARP inhibitors and offer a new treatment option for patients with platinum- and PARP-resistant BRCA/HRD ovarian cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Other combinations aimed at overcoming PARP resistance have shown promise in preclinical and early clinical work, but using cirtuvivint, a first-in-class CLK/DYRK inhibitor, with olaparib is a new, mainly preclinical strategy.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Colorado Denver
Aurora, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Corr, Bradley — University of Colorado Denver
- Study coordinator: Corr, Bradley
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Mitotic MTH1 Inhibitors for Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer
A treatment approach targeting a specific cancer cell weakness (MTH1) to help women whose ovarian cancer stopped responding to platinum-based therapy.
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Cirtuvivint plus PARP inhibitor in BRCA/HRD ovarian cancer
A new treatment approach combines a CLK/DYRK inhibitor with a PARP inhibitor to help women with BRCA mutations or HRD ovarian cancer who have become resistant to platinum therapy.
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Targeting cancer-specific protein variants to guide T-cell therapy in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer
Aims to find unique protein variants in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer to guide T-cell receptor therapy for patients.
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Why some ovarian cancers resist platinum chemotherapy: changes in tumor metabolism
This project looks at how ovarian tumors change their metabolism when they stop responding to platinum chemotherapy and seeks new targets and markers to help women with recurrent high-grade serous ovarian cancer.
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Finding new treatments for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer using T-cell therapy
This study is looking for new ways to help patients with tough-to-treat ovarian cancer by analyzing their tumor samples to find specific targets that can be attacked by the immune system, which could lead to better treatments for them.
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Exploring how ovarian cancer cells change metabolism to resist treatment
This study is looking into why some patients with high-grade serous ovarian cancer stop responding to standard platinum treatments, and it hopes to find new ways to help those patients by understanding how their cancer cells change and adapt.
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.