Drug to boost stem cell growth and shorten low-white-blood-cell time after transplant
Stimulant for stem cell expansion in vivo to speed recovery of neutropenia secondary to chemotherapy and stem cell transplant
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 ID | NIH-11255048 on NIH RePORTER |
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.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: 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.
Not a fit: 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.
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 performed: 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
Eagleville, UNITED STATES
- Ship of Theseus, LLC — Eagleville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Elser, Jeremy a — Ship of Theseus, LLC
- Study coordinator: Elser, Jeremy a
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.