Combining radiation, CAR‑T (CART‑19), and gut microbiome changes to treat B‑cell lymphoma
Official title: Targeting Lymphoma: A Multimodal Approach using Radiation, CART-19 Therapy, and Gut Microbiome Modulation
Funded at University of Pennsylvania · NIH-11251611 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses radiation, CART‑19 cell therapy, and a short course of oral vancomycin to try to improve outcomes for people with B‑cell lymphoma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2025 |
| Project end | December 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $650,210 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA288473-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11251611 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with B‑cell lymphoma who are eligible for CART‑19 therapy and planned to receive radiation and who can take oral antibiotics and provide stool and blood samples.
✕Less likely to help
People without B‑cell lymphoma, those ineligible for CART‑19, or those with serious antibiotic allergies or active gut infections would likely not benefit from this protocol.
What this research studies
You would receive a coordinated treatment plan that pairs targeted radiation with CART‑19 cell therapy while taking short‑term oral vancomycin to change gut bacteria. The team builds on mouse studies and a small human lung cancer pilot that showed stronger anti‑tumor immune responses and longer survival when vancomycin was added. If you join, you may get optimized radiation dosing/timing, CAR‑T infusion, and be asked to give blood, stool, and possibly tumor biopsy samples for immune and microbiome testing. The goal is to find the best way to combine these therapies so your immune system can better recognize and attack lymphoma cells.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could make radiation and CAR‑T work better together and improve tumor control and survival for people with B‑cell lymphoma.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical mouse studies across several cancer types and a small randomized pilot in early lung cancer showed strong benefit when oral vancomycin was added to radiation, but using vancomycin with CAR‑T plus optimized radiation in lymphoma is a new combination.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Facciabene, Andrea — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Facciabene, Andrea
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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.