Drug to boost stem cell growth and shorten low-white-blood-cell time after transplant
Official title: Stimulant for stem cell expansion in vivo to speed recovery of neutropenia secondary to chemotherapy and stem cell transplant
Funded at Ship of Theseus, LLC · NIH-11255048 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A brief drug treatment given to donor stem cells aims to help them grow faster inside the body so people recovering from chemotherapy or a stem cell transplant make white blood cells sooner.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ship of Theseus, LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Eagleville, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | August 10, 2021 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,770,171 |
| NIH project number | 2R44HL158313-02A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11255048 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People scheduled to receive a hematopoietic stem cell transplant (autologous or allogeneic) after chemotherapy for blood or bone marrow cancers would be the intended candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not need a stem cell transplant, have solid tumors without marrow transplant plans, or whose care does not involve donor stem cells are unlikely to benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
This approach treats donor hematopoietic stem cells with a patented mutant form of the HOXB4 protein for about 24 hours before they are transplanted. Instead of lengthy lab-grown expansion, the short exposure is intended to help the cells expand once inside the patient. The hope is that treated cells will engraft and restore white blood cell counts faster, reducing the dangerous neutropenic period and related infections. Researchers are developing this as a drug product to be used alongside standard transplant procedures.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the treatment could shorten the time patients spend with dangerously low white blood cells, lower infection risk, and reduce hospital stays and costs after transplant.
How similar studies have gone: HOXB4 has been shown in prior research to expand hematopoietic stem cells in preclinical models, but using a short 24-hour donor-cell exposure to boost in-body engraftment is a relatively new and less-tested strategy.
Where this research is happening
-
Ship of Theseus, LLC
Eagleville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Elser, Jeremy a — Ship of Theseus, LLC
- Study coordinator: Elser, Jeremy a
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Stimulant that grows donor stem cells in the body to speed neutropenia recovery after chemotherapy and stem cell transplant
A drug given during or right before stem cell transplant helps donor stem cells multiply quickly inside the patient to shorten neutropenia after treatment.
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Stimulant to grow stem cells in the body to speed recovery after chemotherapy and stem cell transplant
A new drug given briefly before transplant aims to help patients recover their blood and immune system faster after chemotherapy or stem cell transplant.
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Developing a drug to enhance stem cell growth for faster recovery after chemotherapy and bone marrow transplant
This study is testing a new drug that helps boost the growth of stem cells in patients getting a stem cell transplant, with the goal of speeding up recovery and reducing the risk of infections after the procedure.
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PointCheck: a home-based, non-invasive neutropenia monitor for chemotherapy patients
A portable, non-invasive device helps cancer patients on chemotherapy monitor neutropenia from home so doctors can prevent serious infections.
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A portable device to detect low white blood cell counts in cancer patients
This project is developing a new portable device called PointCheck to help cancer patients on chemotherapy monitor their white blood cell counts from home and prevent serious infections.
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A device to monitor cancer patients for low white blood cell counts at home
This study is testing a new, easy-to-use device called PointCheck that helps cancer patients on chemotherapy check their white blood cell counts at home, so they can catch any serious drops in their levels early and stay safe from infections.
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.