Custom molecules that destroy cancer proteins
Official title: Evolved Molecules that Destroy Cancer Relevant Proteins
Funded at Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolutn · NIH-11143266 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are building synthetic molecules that stick to and cut cancer-related proteins to speed up cancer research and future treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolutn NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Alachua, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $215,564 |
| NIH project number | 5R61CA291117-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11143266 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with breast or liver cancers whose tumors express the targeted proteins are most likely to benefit indirectly from research using these molecules.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without cancer or those whose tumors do not express the specific target proteins are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this preclinical work.
What this research studies
The team will make and evolve synthetic DNA-like molecules (AEGIS) with extra building blocks that help them fold and act on targets. Using a lab evolution process, they will select variants that both bind specific cancer proteins and cleave them, then add chemical groups to improve cutting. These AEGIS-based reagents are designed to be produced faster and much cheaper than conventional antibodies and have already shown binding to breast and liver cancer cells in early lab tests. Work is preclinical and focused on creating tools for researchers rather than on giving treatments to patients directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could provide faster, lower-cost tools to disable cancer proteins and speed up discovery of new therapies.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary laboratory work has produced AEGIS-based binders for cancer cells, but the protein-cleaving (AEGISCleaver) capability is a newer, largely preclinical advance.
Where this research is happening
-
Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolutn
Alachua, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Biondi, Elisa — Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolutn
- Study coordinator: Biondi, Elisa
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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.