Engineered GBM-targeted T cells guided by photothermal nanoparticles
Official title: Engineered Glioblastoma-specific T cells using Immunostimulatory Photothermal Nanoparticles
Funded at Immunoblue, LLC · NIH-11415186 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A personalized cell therapy approach uses a patient’s own tumor cells and immune cells, activated by a light-activated nanoparticle to help fight glioblastoma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Immunoblue, LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 3, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,106,515 |
| NIH project number | 5R42CA287488-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11415186 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with glioblastoma who have undergone tumor resection and are eligible for adjuvant therapy, with tumor tissue available for autologous cell processing.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without access to tumor tissue or who are not candidates for adjuvant intratumoral therapy may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to develop IB-T cells, a patient-specific T cell therapy for glioblastoma, using photothermally activated tumor cells to generate multi-targeted immune responses. Autologous tumor material and dendritic cells are used to grow and train the patient’s own T cells so they can attack the cancer more effectively. The therapy is designed to be delivered into the brain tumor bed after standard surgery, aiming to reduce recurrence and improve outcomes. The work builds on early feasibility data and plans to move toward translation in a Phase II STTR setting.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could provide a personalized, multi-targeted immunotherapy that may extend survival and improve outcomes for GBM patients.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical and early clinical data indicate that photothermal therapy can enhance tumor antigen release and immune activation, supporting this approach's rationale.
Where this research is happening
-
Immunoblue, LLC
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sweeney, Elizabeth E — Immunoblue, LLC
- Study coordinator: Sweeney, Elizabeth E
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Small molecules to block Slit2/ROBO in glioblastoma
A study to test small molecule drugs that block Slit2/ROBO signals to help treat glioblastoma in patients.
-
Immunotherapy for glioblastoma: advancing treatment and understanding
A patient-friendly summary of a grant exploring new immune-based treatments for glioblastoma to improve options for people affected by this brain cancer.
-
Small-molecule and biologic treatments for glioblastoma using targeted brain delivery
A new approach aims to use FPS-ZM1 to shrink brain swelling and support immunotherapy for glioblastoma, potentially helping patients recover after surgery.
-
Targeted therapies for glioblastoma in adults and kids
A large NIH program is exploring new brain cancer therapies, including drugs that reach the brain and work against glioblastoma in both children and adults.
-
6-thio-2'-deoxyguanosine for glioblastoma: a new approach to target tumors before surgery
A trial tests a novel drug given before glioblastoma surgery to see how it behaves in the body and within the tumor, and to learn how it affects cancer cells and the immune environment.
-
CD38-Driven Changes in Brain Tumor Metabolism and Immunity in Glioblastoma
A patient-facing look at how scientists plan to study how glioblastoma grows by changing its metabolism and dampening the immune response, with potential targets to help treatment in the future.
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.