GRN-300 to boost ovarian cancer treatments and T-cell cancer killing

The SIK2 Inhibitor GRN-300 Enhances PARP Inhibitor Sensitivity and Cytotoxic T-Cell Function in Ovarian Cancer

NIH-funded research University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr · NIH-11159403

GRN-300 is being combined with chemotherapy and PARP blocker drugs to help treatments work better and strengthen the immune system in people with ovarian cancer.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Houston, United States)
Project IDNIH-11159403 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This program is completing early human testing of GRN-300, a drug that blocks SIK2 and may make chemotherapy and PARP blockers more effective. Early parts of the trial will find safe dose levels and then expand to see how patients respond, while measuring drug levels and biological effects in the tumor. Lab work shows GRN-300 can lower DNA repair activity in cancer cells and improve how T cells kill tumor cells, which could help even cancers that don't have the usual DNA-repair defects. If you join, you would have regular clinic visits for treatment, scans, and blood or tumor samples so doctors can track safety and signs the drug is working.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Adults with advanced or recurrent ovarian cancer who meet early-phase clinical trial eligibility and can attend the MD Anderson trial site would be typical candidates.

Not a fit: People without ovarian cancer, those who are medically unfit for an early-phase trial, or those who cannot travel to the trial site are unlikely to benefit from participating.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, GRN-300 could make existing ovarian cancer therapies work better, delay or overcome drug resistance, and boost anti-tumor immune responses.

How similar studies have performed: Preclinical studies show promising synergy with PARP inhibitors and a first-in-human trial was already started in an earlier SPORE cycle, but clear clinical benefit has not yet been proven.

Where this research is happening

Houston, 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 2026-06-10 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.