Enhanced virus-based immunotherapy for breast cancer that has spread to the brain
Official title: Enhanced Viro-Immunotherapy for Breast Cancer Brain Metastasis
Funded at University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston · NIH-11210788 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project explores a modified herpes virus treatment designed to help the immune system fight breast cancer that has spread to the brain.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | September 22, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $97,570 |
| NIH project number | 3R01CA276942-03S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11210788 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with breast cancer that has metastasized to the brain, especially those eligible for experimental therapies at a specialty center, would be the most likely candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have brain metastases from breast cancer or whose tumors do not show the targeted biological features (like IGF2-driven neutrophil activity) are unlikely to benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
If you have breast cancer that has spread to your brain, researchers are working to improve a virus-based therapy that both kills tumor cells and stimulates the immune system. They are using a modified herpes simplex virus (oHSV) and studying how the tumor environment—especially neutrophils and a protein called IGF2—blocks the virus and weakens immune response. The team aims to block those resistance pathways, including preventing harmful neutrophil traps, so the virus can spread better and trigger stronger anti-tumor immunity. The work combines laboratory studies and preclinical testing with the goal of enabling future treatments for patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could make virus-based treatments better at shrinking breast cancer brain metastases and improving patient outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Oncolytic HSV therapies have shown benefit in melanoma and are being explored in some brain tumor settings, but applying them to breast cancer brain metastases is newer and faces unique immune-suppression challenges.
Where this research is happening
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University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yoo, Ji Young — University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston
- Study coordinator: Yoo, Ji Young
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Enhanced Viro-Immunotherapy for Breast Cancer Brain Metastasis
A study testing a virus-based cancer therapy to help treat breast cancer that has spread to the brain, with focus on boosting the body’s immune response to fight the tumors.
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Improving viral immunotherapy for breast cancer that has spread to the brain
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Improving treatment for breast cancer that has spread to the brain
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Researchers are studying how prolactin signals help HER2-positive breast cancer cells grow in the brain, with the goal of finding new ideas to prevent brain metastases.
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How an immune signal in brain support cells helps breast cancer spread to the brain
This project looks at whether a specific immune signal in brain support cells (astrocytes) helps breast cancer cells grow in the brain, aiming to help people with breast cancer that has spread to the brain.
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.