Developing new exosome-based treatments for aggressive breast cancer
Official title: Reprogramming Exosomes for Novel Immunotherapy of Triple Negative Breast Cancer
Funded at University of Southern California · NIH-10899640 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is exploring a new way to boost the immune system's ability to fight triple negative breast cancer by using specially designed tiny particles called exosomes, which could lead to better treatments for patients facing this tough type of cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Southern California NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | August 4, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $487,588 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA276240-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10899640 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer who have limited treatment options.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with other subtypes of breast cancer or those who are not diagnosed with breast cancer may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on creating engineered exosomes to enhance the immune response against triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), a particularly aggressive form of breast cancer. The project involves designing and characterizing these synthetic exosomes to activate specific antitumor immunity and induce immune responses targeting TNBC tumors. By understanding how these reprogrammed exosomes work, the research aims to develop a new class of immunotherapeutics that could be safely and effectively used in clinical settings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide a novel and effective treatment option for patients with triple negative breast cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promise in using engineered exosomes for cancer treatment, indicating potential success for this novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhang, Yong — University of Southern California
- Study coordinator: Zhang, Yong
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Rac-enhanced CAR-Macrophages against TNBC
A new cell therapy approach uses engineered macrophages with a CAR and Rac2 activation to target and kill triple-negative breast cancer cells expressing CSPG4.
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Determinants of Response to DNA-Damaging Radiation and Immunotherapy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
This grant explores why some people with triple-negative breast cancer respond to a combo of radiation, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy and why others don’t, to guide more personalized treatment.
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New immunotherapy combo for hard-to-treat triple-negative breast cancer
Aims to test a combination immunotherapy with JNK inhibitors to improve treatment for people with triple-negative breast cancer.
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Reprogrammed exosome immunotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer
A new treatment approach uses engineered exosomes to stimulate the immune system to fight triple-negative breast cancer in patients.
-
Engineered CD4+ T cells targeting KK‑LC‑1 for triple‑negative breast cancer
This project creates engineered CD4+ T cells that recognize the KK‑LC‑1 tumor antigen to help people with HLA‑DR13-positive triple‑negative breast cancer.
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Why some triple-negative breast cancers respond to radiation plus immunotherapy and others resist
This project looks at whether patterns of tumor cell death and immune signals can predict and improve responses to radiation combined with anti-PD1 immunotherapy for people with early-stage triple-negative breast cancer that has spread to lymph nodes.
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.