Enhancing CART-T therapy for B-cell lymphoma with longer-lasting IL-7/IL-15/IL-21 support
Official title: Enhancing CAR-T cell therapy for DLBCL
Funded at Washington University · NIH-11365474 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant tests a new treatment approach that combines CAR-T cells for large B-cell lymphoma with a long-acting growth factor cocktail to help the CAR-T cells expand and persist.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | September 3, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $548,528 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA286488-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11365474 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma who are eligible for CART19 therapy and may be candidates for additional IL-7/IL-15/IL-21 support.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not respond to CART19 therapy or cannot tolerate the added cytokine support may not benefit.
What this research studies
For patients with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma, the project will give autologous CART19 therapy alongside early and repeated dosing of NT-I7 and related IL-based signals to boost T-cell help. Researchers will monitor how these signals affect CART19 and other immune cells in the blood and tumor environment using advanced assays and single-cell analyses. The goal is to see if the combination leads to better CAR-T cell persistence, expanded anti-tumor activity, and improved clinical outcomes. The study builds on a prior Phase 1b trial and uses a new dosing schedule to try to optimize the timing of support during CAR-T cell expansion.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could experience longer CAR-T cell activity and potentially better responses to therapy.
How similar studies have gone: Early data from a Phase 1b trial suggest safety of NT-I7 with CART19, and this study seeks to optimize timing for improved outcomes.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dipersio, John F. — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Dipersio, John F.
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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.