Exosome-based targeted imaging and alpha therapy for liver cancer
Official title: Exosome-mediated therapy for liver cancer
Funded at Johns Hopkins University · NIH-11285203 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new approach uses tiny natural exosome particles to carry an alpha-particle drug plus an imaging label to find and treat hard-to-remove liver tumors.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | January 12, 2024 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $126,072 |
| NIH project number | 5R21CA280232-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11285203 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal future candidates would be patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma or liver-dominant metastatic tumors who are considered for intra-arterial or local tumor-directed therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with small, early-stage tumors eligible for surgery or people with cancers that do not involve the liver are unlikely to benefit from this preclinical work in the near term.
What this research studies
Researchers are developing tiny natural particles called exosomes to carry a potent alpha-particle drug directly into liver tumors and add an imaging tag so doctors can see where the medicine goes. They will first test targeting and visibility in lab-grown cell layers and 3D tumor spheroids, then treat selected formulations in mouse models of liver cancer using direct tumor or intra-arterial delivery. The mouse studies will measure where the therapy travels, how well it kills tumor cells including microscopic disease, and whether it causes harmful side effects. The goal is to improve artery-directed treatments like TACE/TARE by making delivery more precise and able to reach treatment-resistant or tiny tumor deposits.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could let doctors image and precisely deliver a powerful therapy to liver tumors and microscopic disease, potentially improving outcomes for patients with unresectable liver cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Alpha-emitter radiotherapies have shown promise against microscopic cancer cells, but using radiolabeled exosomes for delivery is a novel and largely experimental approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kraitchman, Dara L — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Kraitchman, Dara L
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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.