Drug and antibody approaches for glioblastoma guided by tumor vulnerability and brain monitoring
Development of Small Molecule Inhibitors and Biologic Agents for Treatment of Glioblastoma Using Intracerebral Microdialysis and Signatures of Vulnerability
This program develops new drug, antibody, and engineered virus approaches to treat adults with glioblastoma by targeting tumor weaknesses and improving delivery into the brain.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Beckman Research Institute/city of Hope NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Duarte, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11184269 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, researchers are developing three treatment paths: an engineered oncolytic herpes virus that produces an anti‑CD47 antibody inside the tumor, a drug called tasquinimod given around the time of surgery to boost immune therapy, and a personalized therapy guided by molecular “signatures of vulnerability” found in tumor tissue. They will use intracerebral microdialysis and molecular profiling to measure how well drugs get into the brain and to identify tumor weaknesses. Promising candidates will move from lab and safety studies (IND‑enabling) into early phase I clinical trials for adults with glioblastoma. The work is a multi‑center effort across City of Hope, Translational Genomics Research Institute, and University of Alabama at Birmingham to bring lab discoveries into patient trials.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults (21+) with newly diagnosed or recurrent glioblastoma who can undergo surgical sampling and participate in early‑phase clinical trials at participating centers are the most likely candidates.
Not a fit: Patients under 21, those who cannot safely have surgery or intracerebral monitoring, or those with serious comorbidities that prevent trial participation may not be eligible or benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these approaches could produce more effective treatments that better reach brain tumors, overcome immune resistance, and potentially extend survival for adults with glioblastoma.
How similar studies have performed: Early‑phase work with oncolytic viruses and immune‑modulating antibodies has shown safety and occasional responses, but these approaches remain experimental in glioblastoma.
Where this research is happening
Duarte, United States
- Beckman Research Institute/city of Hope — Duarte, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Portnow, Jana — Beckman Research Institute/city of Hope
- Study coordinator: Portnow, Jana
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 below.