Helping immune checkpoint therapy work better by teaching immune cells to target tumors
Potentiating Checkpoint Blockade by Cross-Priming Tumor-Reactive T cells with In Situ Vaccination
An in-place vaccine aims to help immune cells show tumor markers so checkpoint immunotherapy can work better for people with cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11261599 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If I had cancer, researchers would inject an in-place vaccine into my tumor that uses Flt3L to bring in dendritic cells, a short course of radiation to release tumor proteins, and a Toll-like receptor stimulant to wake up those cells. The goal is to help those dendritic cells cross-present tumor antigens so CD8 T cells can recognize and attack cancer throughout the body. They will study this approach in mouse models and in stored human samples from earlier trials, and an earlier early-phase test already showed some partial and complete regressions. The team will also test whether the vaccine improves responses to checkpoint inhibitor drugs.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with solid tumors or certain B‑cell malignancies who are candidates for checkpoint inhibitor therapy and can receive an intratumoral vaccine at a participating center.
Not a fit: Patients whose cancers are already controlled by existing treatments, who cannot safely have tumors injected, or who are ineligible for checkpoint inhibitors may not benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could increase the number of patients who respond to checkpoint immunotherapy and shrink tumors at distant sites.
How similar studies have performed: An early-phase clinical test of this in situ vaccine showed some partial and complete responses and selective elimination of malignant B cells, but its mechanism and ability to boost checkpoint blockade are still being studied.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Brody, Joshua D — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Brody, Joshua D
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.