NIH-funded research Sbir 2 grant

Creating a new vaccine to treat prostate cancer

Official title: Development of a Therapeutic SAPNANO-ESO Vaccine for Prostate Cancer

Funded at Immunova Therapeutics, LLC · NIH-10662536 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This study is testing a new type of vaccine that could help fight prostate cancer in patients with specific tumors, aiming to boost the body's immune response without needing special cells, and it hopes to improve treatment results based on encouraging early findings in mice.

More Prostate Cancer research and trials

Quick facts

Grant typeSbir 2 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionImmunova Therapeutics, LLC
NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Monrovia, United States)
Project startAugust 1, 2022
Project endJuly 31, 2026
Funding year2023
Award (this year)$1,000,000
NIH project number5R44CA275489-02
Project IDNIH-10662536 on NIH RePORTER

Who could benefit from this research

Could help

Ideal candidates for this research are men diagnosed with prostate cancer who have tumors expressing the NY-ESO-1 antigen.

Less likely to help

Patients with prostate cancer that do not express the NY-ESO-1 antigen may not benefit from this vaccine.

What this research studies

This research focuses on developing a novel vaccine technology called self-assembled peptide nanoparticles (SAPNANO) to treat prostate cancer, particularly in patients with NY-ESO-1 positive tumors. The vaccine aims to induce strong immune responses against prostate cancer cells without the need for dendritic cells, which are typically used in other immunotherapy approaches. By delivering the vaccine intravenously, the goal is to enhance the body's ability to fight cancer and potentially eliminate tumor cells. The research is based on promising results from mouse models, indicating that this vaccine could significantly improve treatment outcomes for prostate cancer patients.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide a new and effective treatment option for patients with prostate cancer, potentially improving survival rates and quality of life.

How similar studies have gone: While immunotherapy has shown promise in other cancers, this specific approach using SAPNANO technology is novel and has not been widely tested in prostate cancer.

Where this research is happening

  • Immunova Therapeutics, LLC
    Monrovia, United States
    Active

Researchers

  • Principal investigator: Wang, Yicheng — Immunova Therapeutics, LLC
  • Study coordinator: Wang, Yicheng

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.