How mitochondria affect response to antibody–drug therapies in advanced lung cancer

Investigating mitochondrial networks as a critical determinant of response to antibody drug conjugates in advanced NSCLC

NIH-funded research University of California Los Angeles · NIH-11301846

This project looks at whether differences in tumor mitochondria help explain why some people with advanced non-small cell lung cancer respond better to new antibody–drug conjugate therapies.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of California Los Angeles NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Los Angeles, United States)
Project IDNIH-11301846 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

From your perspective, researchers will study tumors from people with advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer to see how the structure and behavior of mitochondria relate to response to ADCs that carry the DXd payload (such as T‑DXd, HER3‑DXd, and Dato‑DXd). They will analyze tumor tissue with lab tests like IHC and molecular assays to measure mitochondrial networks and proteins that control apoptosis. Those laboratory findings will be compared with clinical outcomes after ADC treatment to look for patterns linked to benefit or resistance. The goal is to find biological features that could one day help doctors choose or combine therapies more effectively.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer who are being considered for or have received DXd-containing antibody–drug conjugates and who have available tumor tissue for analysis.

Not a fit: People with early-stage lung cancer, non-NSCLC tumor types, or those without available tumor samples are unlikely to be eligible or directly benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help predict which patients with advanced NSCLC are most likely to benefit from DXd-containing ADC therapies and guide treatment decisions.

How similar studies have performed: DXd-containing ADCs have shown activity in advanced NSCLC after standard therapies, but using mitochondrial network features to predict response is a new and largely untested approach.

Where this research is happening

Los Angeles, 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 2026-06-13 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.