Hormone-lowering treatment plus targeted immunotherapy for prostate cancer
Project 2: Androgen deprivation as an immune modulating therapy in combination with targeted immunotherapy of prostate cancer
This work combines hormone-lowering therapy with a vaccine that trains the immune system to attack prostate cancer cells for men with advanced prostate cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11184189 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would receive standard androgen-deprivation (hormone-lowering) therapy together with a DNA vaccine designed to teach your CD8 T cells to recognize the androgen receptor on prostate cancer cells. In lab and animal studies, lowering androgens increased androgen receptor expression on tumor cells and made them more visible to vaccine-activated T cells. An earlier phase I trial of this AR-targeted vaccine showed it was safe and produced immune responses in patients. The team aims to use this combination to slow progression and prolong the time before cancers become resistant to hormone therapy.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are men with advanced or metastatic prostate cancer who are receiving or eligible for androgen-deprivation (hormone-lowering) therapy and who can tolerate an immunotherapy regimen.
Not a fit: People without prostate cancer, those who cannot receive hormone therapy or immunotherapy, or those with medical conditions preventing participation are unlikely to benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could strengthen immune attack on prostate tumors and delay progression to castration-resistant disease.
How similar studies have performed: Early work showed tumor control in animal models and a phase I human trial of the AR LBD vaccine was safe and generated immune responses, though larger trials are still needed to prove clinical benefit.
Where this research is happening
Madison, United States
- University of Wisconsin-Madison — Madison, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mcneel, Douglas G. — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Mcneel, Douglas G.
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.