Engineered CAR-T cells targeting CSPG4 for head and neck cancer
Official title: iC9-CAR.CSPG4 CAR-T Cells for Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11235163 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This trial gives engineered immune cells (CAR‑T) that target a protein called CSPG4 to adults with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma that has not responded to platinum chemotherapy and PD‑1 therapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | December 1, 2024 |
| Project end | November 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $627,456 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA296807-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11235163 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma that is refractory to platinum‑based chemotherapy and PD‑1 inhibitors and who meet the trial's medical eligibility criteria.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose tumors lack CSPG4 expression or who are medically unfit for CAR‑T therapy (for example, due to uncontrolled infections, severe organ dysfunction, or certain autoimmune conditions) may not benefit or be eligible.
What this research studies
You would receive a single infusion of specially engineered CAR‑T cells designed to recognize CSPG4 on head and neck cancer cells. This phase I, single‑center, open‑label trial uses a modified 3+3 dose‑escalation followed by a small expansion group to find a safe dose and look for early signs of benefit. Doctors will collect tumor biopsies before and after treatment and take regular blood samples to study how the CAR‑T cells and your own immune cells respond over time. The team will analyze immune markers, T‑cell receptors, exhaustion markers, and metabolic profiles to learn how tumors may resist or be killed by the therapy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the therapy could shrink or control tumors in people whose head and neck cancer no longer responds to standard chemotherapy and PD‑1 drugs.
How similar studies have gone: CAR‑T therapies have been highly successful in some blood cancers, but results in solid tumors like head and neck cancer have been limited, so this approach is still relatively experimental for this disease.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Weiss, Jared — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Weiss, Jared
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Novel idea: Epstein-Barr virus and eye cancer in people living with HIV in Zimbabwe
A study explores whether Epstein-Barr virus could cause a type of eye cancer in people living with HIV in Zimbabwe.
-
Oral cancer recurrence predictor using tumor microbes and gene activity
This NIH grant explores how bacteria and immune signals inside oral cancer tumors relate to whether the cancer comes back, with the aim of making a practical risk predictor for patients.
-
Data-driven classification of aggressive tissue traits to predict cancer outcomes in HPV-negative head and neck cancer
A clinician-science grant uses data science and AI to identify tissue patterns in HPV-negative head and neck cancer that may predict how long patients stay cancer-free.
-
Targeting PIPKIγi5 to boost immune responses against head and neck cancer
A study to see if blocking a specific enzyme, PIPKIγi5, can make head and neck cancer more visible to the immune system and more responsive to existing immunotherapies.
-
Targeted approaches for lung squamous cell carcinoma with key gene changes
A study at a major university is exploring new targets in lung squamous cell carcinoma to help people with this cancer find better treatments.
-
Baculovirus-based therapy to treat head and neck cancer with a gentle, minimally invasive approach
A new, minimally invasive approach using baculovirus-delivered CRISPR gene editing aims to treat head and neck squamous cell carcinoma while aiming to preserve essential tissues.
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.