Improving treatments for chronic lymphocytic leukemia when current medicines stop working
Official title: Understanding mechanisms of BTK inhibitor and degrader resistance in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Funded at University of Miami School of Medicine · NIH-11128567 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research aims to discover why some chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients stop responding to new medications, so we can find better ways to help them.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Miami School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Coral Gables, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $351,131 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA292653-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11128567 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia or other B-cell malignancies who have experienced their BTK inhibitor treatment becoming less effective or who are considering new treatment options might be interested in this research.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose chronic lymphocytic leukemia responds well to current BTK inhibitors and who do not experience resistance may not directly benefit from this specific research focus.
What this research studies
Many patients with B-cell cancers like chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) benefit from medicines called BTK inhibitors, but sometimes these treatments stop working or cause side effects. Newer, more targeted BTK inhibitors are being tested in clinical trials to address these issues. However, even with these new drugs, some patients still don't respond or their cancer returns. Our goal is to understand why these new treatments fail for some patients and to develop better strategies, including new drug combinations, to overcome this resistance. We are looking closely at the cancer cells to see what changes occur that allow them to resist treatment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to more effective and lasting treatments for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia whose current therapies are no longer working.
How similar studies have gone: While BTK inhibitors have shown success, understanding and overcoming resistance to the newer non-covalent forms is an active and evolving area of research.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Miami School of Medicine
Coral Gables, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Taylor, Justin — University of Miami School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Taylor, Justin
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Tracing how chronic lymphocytic leukemia can change into Richter’s syndrome
A physician-scientist is studying why CLL sometimes changes into Richter’s syndrome and how this transition happens at the genetic level, with the goal of better outcomes for people living with CLL.
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Paradigm shift in managing untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia in older adults
A Mayo Clinic doctor is leading a national collaboration to advance new frontline treatments for older adults with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
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AVO: a new triplet therapy for untreated high-risk CLL
A new, time-limited combination therapy (acalabrutinib, venetoclax, and obinutuzumab) is being tested for people with newly diagnosed high-risk CLL to see how well it works and how safe it is.
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Rewiring cancer pathways to trigger death in chronic lymphocytic leukemia
A Stanford-led study aims to use a new class of small molecules to flip cancer-driving signals so CLL cells die, offering hope for patients who have exhausted other therapies.
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METTL3's role in driving a stubborn form of chronic lymphocytic leukemia
A cancer-related study looks at how METTL3 helps a common leukemia (CLL) grow and resist treatment, with the goal of finding better therapies.
-
Understanding why BTK inhibitors stop working in chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Researchers are studying why some people with chronic lymphocytic leukemia stop benefiting from BTK inhibitors and how to overcome that resistance.
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.