Creating new antibodies to improve immune therapy for pancreatic cancer
Official title: Engineering Siglec15/TGF-beta targeted bispecific antibodies that modulate the tumor microenvironment and enhances T-cell immunotherapy against pancreatic cancer
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-10804659 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at a new treatment for pancreatic cancer that aims to boost the body's immune response against the disease by using special antibodies, and patients may have the chance to join trials to try out these promising therapies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| 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 | April 1, 2023 |
| Project end | March 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $169,563 |
| NIH project number | 5R21CA273983-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10804659 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals diagnosed with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, particularly those who have not responded well to existing treatments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with other types of cancer or those who have already received extensive treatment for pancreatic cancer may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), a type of pancreatic cancer with a very low survival rate. The team is developing bispecific antibodies that target Siglec-15 and TGF-beta, two molecules that suppress the immune response in tumors. By blocking these suppressive signals, the goal is to enhance T-cell activity against the cancer, potentially leading to better treatment outcomes. Patients may be able to participate in trials that test these new therapies as they become available.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective immunotherapy options for patients with pancreatic cancer.
How similar studies have gone: While the approach of targeting immune suppressors in tumors is gaining traction, this specific combination of antibodies is novel and has not been extensively tested in clinical settings.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lai, Samuel — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Lai, Samuel
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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-
Novel virus therapy to help pancreatic cancer patients fight their disease
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Blocking VIP signaling to help the immune system fight pancreatic cancer
This grant tests a new approach aimed at helping the immune system attack pancreatic cancer by blocking a signaling pathway that's dampening immune responses in tumors.
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Engineering smart nanoparticles to help the immune system fight pancreatic cancer
Aims to use tiny, specially designed particles to deliver cancer-fighting drugs and immune-boosting signals to pancreatic tumors to help the body attack the cancer.
-
TROP2-targeting CAR-NK therapy for pancreatic cancer
This project develops an off-the-shelf natural killer (NK) cell therapy engineered to target the TROP2 protein on pancreatic cancer cells.
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.