Hedgehog-blocking drugs to help immunotherapy work better in ovarian cancer
Project 3: Hedgehog Inhibition to Enhance Response to ICI Therapy
This work tests whether adding hedgehog-blocking drugs can change ovarian tumors so more people respond to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11173697 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers plan to use drugs that block the hedgehog signaling pathway to lower a protein called BIGH3 made by tumor-associated stromal cells and to shift tumor macrophages from an immunosuppressive (M2) state to an inflammatory (M1) state. They will combine hedgehog inhibitors with immune checkpoint inhibitors and study how tumors, biopsies, and blood immune cells respond. The team will track changes in macrophage types, BIGH3 levels, and signs of immune cells entering the tumor to see if the tumor becomes more sensitive to immunotherapy. The goal is to restore or increase responses to immunotherapy in ovarian cancer patients whose tumors exclude immune cells.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with ovarian cancer—especially those who have not responded to immune checkpoint inhibitors or whose tumors show dense, immunosuppressive stroma—would be the best candidates.
Not a fit: Patients without ovarian cancer or whose tumors do not show hedgehog/BIGH3-driven immunosuppression are unlikely to benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could allow many more ovarian cancer patients to benefit from immunotherapy and potentially improve outcomes.
How similar studies have performed: Preclinical studies and recent reports show hedgehog inhibitors can promote pro-inflammatory macrophages and improve anti-tumor immunity, but combining hedgehog blockers with immune checkpoint therapy in ovarian cancer remains largely experimental.
Where this research is happening
Pittsburgh, United States
- University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh — Pittsburgh, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Buckanovich, Ronald J — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Buckanovich, Ronald J
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 below.