How the protein ULK3 affects treatment‑sensitive and treatment‑resistant multiple myeloma
Official title: Role of ULK3 in Sensitive and Refractory Multiple Myeloma
Funded at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Ctr & Res Inst · NIH-11233147 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tries new drugs that block ULK3 and BRD4 to help people with newly diagnosed or treatment‑resistant multiple myeloma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Ctr & Res Inst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tampa, United States) |
| Project start | December 16, 2022 |
| Project end | November 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $534,381 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA269721-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11233147 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with multiple myeloma, especially those newly diagnosed or whose disease has become resistant to standard treatments like proteasome inhibitors, would be the main candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with other types of cancer, or whose myeloma is not driven by ULK3/BRD4 pathways or who cannot provide tumor samples, are unlikely to benefit from this specific work.
What this research studies
Researchers analyzed tumor cells taken from hundreds of patients and found the protein ULK3 is highly active in both new and treatment‑resistant myeloma. In the lab they are testing a compound called SG3 that blocks ULK3 and the cancer driver BRD4, and they are studying how this affects autophagy, a survival process myeloma cells use. Experiments use patient samples, cell models, and animal models to see whether blocking these pathways can overcome resistance to current drugs like proteasome inhibitors. The team hopes these lab findings could point to drug combinations worth testing in patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to new drug combinations that overcome treatment resistance and improve outcomes for people with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.
How similar studies have gone: Proteasome inhibitors and BRD4 blockers have shown benefit but often face resistance, and targeting ULK3 is a newer, largely preclinical approach not yet proven in patients.
Where this research is happening
-
H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Ctr & Res Inst
Tampa, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lynch, Conor C — H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Ctr & Res Inst
- Study coordinator: Lynch, Conor C
Related research
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Understanding how ULK3 affects multiple myeloma treatment resistance
This study is looking at a protein called ULK3 to understand how it helps multiple myeloma cells survive and resist treatments, with the goal of creating new medicines that could work better for patients whose cancer is hard to treat.
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This study is testing a new drug called KS18 that aims to help patients with multiple myeloma, especially those whose cancer hasn't responded to other treatments, by working alongside existing therapies to better fight the disease and prevent it from coming back.
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Integrative study of multiple myeloma genetics and disease biology
A team at Dana-Farber and partners is pursuing a long-term project to understand the genetic and molecular drivers of multiple myeloma and how treatments interact with disease biology.
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Comparative Modeling to Prevent, Detect Early, and Treat Multiple Myeloma
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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.