Improving how anti-cancer medicines reach brain tumors

Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Modeling of Drug Penetration into the Human Brain and Brain Tumors

['FUNDING_R01'] · WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY · NIH-11137026

This project aims to better understand and predict how anti-cancer medicines travel into the brain and brain tumors, helping us deliver treatments more effectively.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_R01']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorWAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY (nih funded)
Locations1 site (DETROIT, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11137026 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

Our brains are protected by a special shield called the blood-brain barrier, which often prevents anti-cancer medicines from reaching brain tumors effectively. In patients with brain tumors, this barrier can be unpredictable, making it difficult to know how much medicine actually gets to the tumor. This project is building a sophisticated computer model to accurately predict how anti-cancer drugs cross this barrier and reach brain tumors. By combining detailed information about the drugs and how the body works, we hope to make drug delivery more precise. This work is crucial for developing more effective and personalized treatments for brain cancer.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: This research is foundational and does not directly involve patient participation, but it aims to benefit patients with brain tumors who need anti-cancer treatments.

Not a fit: Patients whose cancers are not brain-related or who do not require anti-cancer drug therapy for brain tumors would not directly benefit from this specific modeling work.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to more effective and personalized anti-cancer treatments for brain tumors by improving drug delivery.

How similar studies have performed: While physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling is a recognized approach in drug development, applying it specifically to the complex and variable blood-brain tumor barrier for precise drug penetration prediction is an area of ongoing development.

Where this research is happening

DETROIT, 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.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Conditions: Anti-Cancer Agents

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 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.