Engineered T cells that target KRAS-mutated metastatic lung cancer
Official title: Project 2: Treating metastatic lung cancer by targeting mutated KRAS with engineered T cells
Funded at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center · NIH-11196687 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses specially engineered immune cells to try to find and kill metastatic lung cancers that have KRAS gene mutations.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2019 |
| Project end | July 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $308,964 |
| NIH project number | 2P50CA228944-07A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11196687 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer whose tumors have an actionable KRAS mutation and who are healthy enough for cell therapy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose tumors do not have KRAS mutations or who cannot safely receive cell infusions are unlikely to benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
If your lung tumor has a KRAS mutation, researchers will change a type of your immune cell (T cells) in the lab so they better recognize that mutation, grow many of those cells, and then give them back to you. The goal is for the engineered T cells to seek out and destroy cancer cells that carry the KRAS mutation. This approach is aimed at metastatic non-small cell lung cancer that often becomes resistant to targeted drugs and checkpoint immunotherapy. The team combines lab work on patient tumor samples with clinical cell infusion methods to try to produce stronger and longer-lasting anti-tumor responses.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could shrink or control KRAS-mutant metastatic lung tumors and produce longer-lasting remissions than current options.
How similar studies have gone: Cell therapies have cured some blood cancers and helped melanoma, but directly targeting KRAS-mutant solid tumors is a newer strategy with only early clinical promise so far.
Where this research is happening
-
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Greenberg, Philip D — Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
- Study coordinator: Greenberg, Philip D
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Improving care for patients with advanced lung cancer using personalized approaches
This study is looking to improve support for people with metastatic lung cancer who have certain genetic mutations by testing a new way to help them feel more comfortable and make better decisions about their care, based on what they and their doctors think is important.
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.