Dual-target CAR T-cell and imaging therapy for advanced prostate cancer
Theranostic DLL3/PSMA-bi-specific CAR-T cells for prostate cancer therapy
This project aims to create a CAR T-cell therapy that targets both DLL3 and PSMA and uses imaging to help treat people with advanced neuroendocrine prostate cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11182494 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are engineering CAR T cells that recognize two prostate cancer markers (DLL3 and PSMA) so the treatment can hit tumors that vary in their surface proteins. The cells will include a theranostic component so doctors can image where the cells go and how they reach metastatic sites. The team will test these bi-specific CAR T cells in laboratory and animal models to optimize delivery, survival, and tumor-killing activity across metastatic sites. The work is being developed at Memorial Sloan Kettering with the goal of preparing a safe and effective approach for future human trials.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with metastatic, castration-resistant neuroendocrine prostate cancer—especially tumors showing low PSMA and higher DLL3 expression and who have exhausted standard therapies—would be the most likely candidates.
Not a fit: Patients with early-stage or hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, unrelated cancers, or those medically ineligible for cell therapies are unlikely to benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could offer a targeted treatment that reaches and kills metastatic neuroendocrine prostate cancer cells while allowing doctors to image treatment delivery.
How similar studies have performed: CAR T-cell therapies have shown strong success in blood cancers but limited results so far in solid tumors, so combining PSMA and DLL3 with imaging is a novel strategy building on early and mixed results.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ponomarev, Vladimir — Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research
- Study coordinator: Ponomarev, Vladimir
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.