Creating a new therapy using engineered immune cells to fight pancreatic cancer
Official title: Develop Conditionally Armored CAR Macrophage Therapy for Pancreatic Cancer
Funded at Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences · NIH-10920465 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a new treatment for pancreatic cancer that uses specially modified immune cells to attack tumors while reducing side effects, and it's designed for patients who have a specific cancer mutation.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Newark, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 5, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $572,707 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA275761-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10920465 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients diagnosed with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma who have the KRAS* mutation.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with pancreatic cancer who do not have the KRAS* mutation or those with advanced disease not amenable to experimental therapies may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing a novel therapy that utilizes genetically modified immune cells, specifically macrophages, to target pancreatic cancer. The approach involves creating 'conditionally armored' CAR macrophages that can deliver therapeutic agents directly to tumors while minimizing side effects. By combining this therapy with existing treatments that target a specific cancer mutation (KRAS*), the research aims to improve treatment effectiveness and patient outcomes. The study will be conducted using mouse models that mimic human pancreatic cancer to evaluate the safety and efficacy of this innovative treatment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to a groundbreaking therapy that significantly improves survival rates for patients with pancreatic cancer.
How similar studies have gone: While the specific approach of using conditionally armored CAR macrophages is novel, similar strategies targeting tumor-associated macrophages have shown promise in other cancer types.
Where this research is happening
-
Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
Newark, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hou, Pingping — Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Hou, Pingping
Related research
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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.