Enhancing Cancer Immunotherapy for Resistant High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer with a New Platinum Nanotherapy
Official title: Enhancing Cancer Immunotherapy for Refractory High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer with Novel Platinum Nanotherapeutics
Funded at Methodist Hospital Research Institute · NIH-11349163 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new platinum-based nanotherapy is being tested to help women with chemoresistant high-grade serous ovarian cancer survive longer by boosting cancer-killing immune responses.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Methodist Hospital Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $415,257 |
| NIH project number | 1R21CA302974-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11349163 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with chemoresistant high-grade serous ovarian cancer who have limited options and are eligible for early-phase clinical testing.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose cancer does not respond to the platinum nanotherapeutic or who meet exclusion criteria may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to develop a platinum-based nanotherapy that can overcome resistance to standard treatments in high-grade serous ovarian cancer. It focuses on rapidly translating promising lab findings into a therapy that can enhance immune-mediated tumor destruction while reducing toxicity. The work includes preclinical studies showing the nanoparticle drives stronger immunogenic cell death and reshapes the tumor environment to support anti-tumor immunity, with a trajectory toward early-stage clinical testing. If successful, patients who have few options could gain a new treatment option that works alongside or beyond current chemotherapy and immunotherapy approaches.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with chemoresistant HGSOC may experience improved survival and more effective treatment options.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical data show enhanced cell death and favorable immune changes with the nanotherapeutic, suggesting potential but requiring clinical validation.
Where this research is happening
-
Methodist Hospital Research Institute
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Liu, Yongbin — Methodist Hospital Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Liu, Yongbin
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Next-Generation NK Cell Therapy for Ovarian Cancer
A cutting-edge, donor-derived natural killer (NK) cell therapy is being developed to treat ovarian cancer more safely and effectively than traditional CAR-T approaches.
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Targeting PP4 to boost ovarian cancer response to immunotherapy
A Mayo Clinic study aims to see if inhibiting PP4 can make chemo-resistant ovarian cancer more responsive to immunotherapy.
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Next-generation engineered NK cell therapy for ovarian cancer
This project offers a new off-the-shelf NK cell treatment designed to attack ovarian cancer, especially disease that is resistant to platinum chemotherapy.
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Improving ovarian cancer treatment with immunotherapy by targeting PP4
This project looks at how blocking a protein called PP4 might make immunotherapy work better for women with ovarian cancer.
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Investigating a new immunotherapy approach for ovarian cancer
This study is testing a new treatment for advanced ovarian cancer that combines a special immune therapy with a vaccine to help your body fight the cancer better, and it’s looking for patients to see how well it works and if it’s safe.
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Developing a new treatment for ovarian cancer using engineered proteins
This study is testing a new treatment for ovarian cancer that uses a special protein to help the immune system target cancer cells while leaving healthy cells alone, and it's designed for people battling this tough disease.
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.