Improving Solid Tumor Treatment with Combined Epigenetic Therapies
Official title: Epigenetic Synergy Between DNMT and EZH1/2 Inhibitors for Therapy in Solid Tumors
Funded at Coriell Institute for Medical Research · NIH-11140522 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how combining two specific types of drugs can help improve the effectiveness of immunotherapy for patients with solid tumors.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Coriell Institute for Medical Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Camden, United States) |
| Project start | August 16, 2021 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $480,188 |
| NIH project number | 5P50CA254897-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11140522 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This research is focused on patients with solid tumors who may benefit from improved epigenetic therapies and immunotherapy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with blood cancers or those whose tumors do not respond to epigenetic therapies or immunotherapy may not directly benefit from this specific approach.
What this research studies
We know that certain drugs, called DNA methyltransferase inhibitors (DNMTi), can help reverse abnormal changes in cancer cell DNA and might make immunotherapy more effective. However, these drugs often don't work as well as we'd like in solid tumors. This project explores combining DNMTi with another type of drug, EZH1/2 inhibitors, which may overcome the cancer's resistance to DNMTi. By using these two drugs together, we hope to reactivate important genes that fight cancer and improve the immune system's ability to attack tumors. Our goal is to understand how this drug combination works and determine if it can become a new treatment option for solid tumors, potentially even making immunotherapy more successful.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this combination therapy could offer a new way to treat solid tumors, potentially making existing immunotherapies more effective for patients.
How similar studies have gone: DNMT inhibitors are FDA-approved and used clinically, and preliminary data suggests a synergistic effect when combined with EZH1/2 inhibitors, indicating this approach builds on existing knowledge.
Where this research is happening
-
Coriell Institute for Medical Research
Camden, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rothbart, Scott — Coriell Institute for Medical Research
- Study coordinator: Rothbart, Scott
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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.