Finding medicines that block SGF29, a protein that helps leukemia grow

Screening for Inhibitors of the Chromatin Reader SGF29

NIH-funded research Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute · NIH-11317218

Looking for new drugs that block the SGF29 protein to slow or stop acute myeloid leukemia in people with AML.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionSanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (La Jolla, United States)
Project IDNIH-11317218 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

Researchers will screen large collections of compounds in the lab to find molecules that block SGF29, a chromatin reader that helps turn on leukemia-promoting genes. Promising hits will be tested in leukemia cell lines and in preclinical models to see whether they reduce oncogene activity and stop leukemia growth. The team will use multiple lab assays they developed to measure SGF29 activity and effects on key AML drivers like MYC and HOX proteins. If leads look good, the work could move toward drug development and future clinical testing across diverse AML subtypes.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: The eventual clinical candidates would be people diagnosed with AML, particularly those whose leukemia shows evidence of SGF29-dependent gene activity or MYC/HOX-driven signatures.

Not a fit: Patients with blood cancers not driven by SGF29-related pathways or who need urgent standard-of-care treatment are less likely to benefit from this early-stage work.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could produce new targeted therapies that suppress leukemia-driving genes and help many patients with AML, including those whose disease has varied mutations.

How similar studies have performed: Preclinical studies including genetic loss of SGF29 have blocked leukemia growth, but small-molecule inhibitors targeting SGF29 are novel and have not yet been proven in patients.

Where this research is happening

La Jolla, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.