Enhanced targeted therapy for colorectal cancer in patients with advanced disease
Official title: Enhanced targeted therapy for colorectal cancer
Funded at Roswell Park Cancer Institute Corp · NIH-11349033 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new combination approach is being tested to help people with colorectal cancer that has spread, using targeted cancer drugs together with a drug that blocks a key building block the cancer needs.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Roswell Park Cancer Institute Corp NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Buffalo, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $446,112 |
| NIH project number | 1R21CA313682-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11349033 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with colorectal cancer that harbors BRAF or RAS mutations and is resistant to conventional therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose tumors do not rely on the MAPK pathway or do not respond to the drug combination may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project focuses on colorectal cancer that is difficult to treat and may not respond well to standard therapies. It explores combining MAPK pathway inhibitors with ribavirin, a drug that interferes with GTP production, to amplify anti-cancer effects. The work builds on lab and animal studies showing synergy against cancers with BRAF and RAS mutations. If successful, it could point to a more effective treatment strategy for certain patients with colorectal cancer. The study is in early stages and will inform future clinical exploration.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could enhance the effectiveness of existing targeted therapies for certain colorectal cancer patients.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical data have shown synergy between MAPK inhibitors and GTP synthesis inhibitors in cell lines and animal models.
Where this research is happening
-
Roswell Park Cancer Institute Corp
Buffalo, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kandel, Eugene S — Roswell Park Cancer Institute Corp
- Study coordinator: Kandel, Eugene S
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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.