Combined CAR-T therapy targeting B7-H3 for pancreatic cancer with a safety switch
Official title: Project 2: Combined CAR-T cell therapy
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11196743 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This therapy gives engineered T cells that seek out the B7‑H3 protein on pancreatic tumors and includes a built-in safety switch to turn the cells off if needed.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | September 16, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $447,559 |
| NIH project number | 5P50CA257911-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11196743 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma whose tumors express B7‑H3 and who meet clinical safety criteria would be the most likely candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose tumors do not express B7‑H3 or who have medical conditions that make cellular therapy unsafe are unlikely to benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
Researchers are developing CAR‑T cells that target the B7‑H3 protein, which is commonly found on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells but rarely on normal tissue. The engineered T cells include an inducible caspase‑9 (iC9) safety switch so doctors can stop the cells if serious side effects occur. The team has shown antitumor activity and safety in mouse models and plans a Phase I clinical plan to bring this approach to people with PDAC. The initial work will focus on testing safety and looking for early signs that the CAR‑T cells reduce tumor burden.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could provide a new targeted treatment option that shrinks pancreatic tumors while allowing clinicians to deactivate the therapy if severe toxicity arises.
How similar studies have gone: CAR‑T therapies have been highly successful for blood cancers (e.g., CD19 CAR‑T), but CAR‑T for solid tumors is still early-stage and B7‑H3 CAR‑T has shown promise primarily in preclinical models.
Where this research is happening
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Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dotti, Gianpietro — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Dotti, Gianpietro
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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.