Histotripsy + immune boost to fight osteosarcoma
Official title: Leveraging combination histotripsy tumor ablation and N-dihydrogalactochitosan immunostimulation to advance osteosarcoma therapy
Funded at Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ · NIH-11592083 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new treatment idea combines a precise non-surgical ultrasound method with an immune-boosting compound to help fight bone cancer in people and dogs.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Blacksburg, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $43,528 |
| NIH project number | 3R21CA296742-01A1S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11592083 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include individuals (and potentially dogs) with osteosarcoma or at high risk of metastatic disease who could benefit from new immunotherapy approaches.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with osteosarcoma not suitable for ablation or with contraindications to ultrasound or immune stimulants may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to use histotripsy, a non-invasive ultrasound technique that breaks up tumor tissue, together with N-dihydrogalactochitosan to stimulate the immune system against osteosarcoma. By exposing more tumor antigens and boosting immune activity, the approach hopes to convert a “cold” tumor environment into one that can be attacked by the body’s own defenses. The study will test whether this combination can produce a stronger anti-tumor response and reduce metastatic spread in osteosarcoma models, including canine and human contexts. It is a first-time exploration of combining these two modalities for OS, with careful monitoring of safety and potential immune-related effects.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this strategy could lead to more effective treatments for osteosarcoma and potentially improve survival and quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work suggests histotripsy and GC can boost anti-tumor responses in other cancers, but their combination for OS is novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ
Blacksburg, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tuohy, Joanne — Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ
- Study coordinator: Tuohy, Joanne
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding how bone cancer cells rely on certain pathways to grow in childhood osteosarcoma
This grant studies how specific cancer-related pathways in bone-forming cells drive osteosarcoma in children, with the aim of finding better treatments.
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Genomically guided drug testing for osteosarcoma in patient-derived models
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New ways to stop osteosarcoma from spreading
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Targeting OST Redundancy to Treat Osteosarcoma
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Focal Adhesion Kinase inhibitor to block osteosarcoma spread to the lungs
A cancer treatment plan tests whether blocking a specific cell signal can stop osteosarcoma from growing and spreading to the lungs in kids and young people.
-
Canine osteosarcoma immunity boost from hyperactivated dendritic cells
A study tests a way to spark a strong anti-tumor immune response in dogs with bone cancer using highly activated immune cells.
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.