Developing a new treatment for metastatic melanoma using a specialized form of interleukin-2.
Official title: Development of CM-HZ01 as a non-alpha-IL2 therapeutic for the treatment of metastatic melanoma
Funded at Celdara Medical, LLC · NIH-11069291 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a new treatment called CM-HZ01 that helps boost your immune system to fight metastatic melanoma by specifically activating certain immune cells, aiming to make the existing IL-2 therapy work better with fewer side effects for patients who don’t have many options left.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Celdara Medical, LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lebanon, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2025 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,024,967 |
| NIH project number | 1R44CA298512-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11069291 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients diagnosed with metastatic melanoma who have not responded well to existing treatments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with early-stage melanoma or those who have not been diagnosed with melanoma may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on creating CM-HZ01, a novel therapeutic that enhances the immune response against metastatic melanoma by selectively activating CD8 T-cells. The approach aims to improve the effectiveness of interleukin-2 (IL-2) while minimizing side effects associated with traditional IL-2 therapies. By engineering a high avidity IL-2 super-agonist, the research seeks to provide a more targeted treatment option for patients who have limited effective therapies available. The goal is to advance this treatment to the investigational new drug (IND) stage, making it available for clinical use.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide a more effective and safer treatment option for patients with metastatic melanoma.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promising results with similar immunotherapy approaches, indicating potential for success in this novel treatment.
Where this research is happening
-
Celdara Medical, LLC
Lebanon, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cooper, Colleen Doyle — Celdara Medical, LLC
- Study coordinator: Cooper, Colleen Doyle
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Harnessing human CD1d-NKT cells to boost melanoma immunotherapy
A small NIH-funded project tests a new approach that uses a special type of immune cell to help treat metastatic melanoma in patients.
-
New tubulin-blocking agents for metastatic melanoma
A new class of tiny molecules called fused heterocyclic pyrazines will be studied as potential anti-melanoma drugs, aimed at patients with metastatic melanoma.
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CM-HZ01: a new high-boost IL-2 therapy for advanced melanoma
A new IL-2 based treatment called CM-HZ01 is being developed to help people with metastatic melanoma by steering the immune system toward stronger anti-tumor activity with potentially fewer side effects.
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New anti-mitotic drugs for metastatic melanoma
Developing new medicines that stop cancer cells from dividing to help people with metastatic melanoma, including tumors that resist current chemotherapy.
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Investigating how dormant melanoma cells can reactivate and promote cancer growth.
This study is looking at how sleeping melanoma cells can affect nearby cells to help the cancer grow and resist treatment, and it's designed for researchers like Dr. Fane to learn new ways to find better treatments for melanoma.
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Improving detection of early-stage metastatic melanoma using advanced microscopy
This study is testing a new imaging technique to help doctors better identify early-stage melanomas that have spread, so patients can get the right treatment sooner and improve their chances of recovery.
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.