Investigating a new treatment for recurrent brain tumors using a viral vector and a prodrug.
Official title: A Phase 2 biomarker driven, Study of DB107, a Retroviral Replicating Vector, Combined With 5-FC in Patients with Recurrent Glioblastoma or Anaplastic Astrocytoma
Funded at University of Miami School of Medicine · NIH-10888393 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at a new treatment for people with tough brain tumors called glioblastoma or anaplastic astrocytoma, using a special combination of therapies to see if it can help them live longer and fight their tumors better.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 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 14, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $204,520 |
| NIH project number | 5R21CA282543-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10888393 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are adults aged 21 and older who have been diagnosed with recurrent glioblastoma or anaplastic astrocytoma.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with low-grade gliomas or those who have not experienced recurrence may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on patients with recurrent glioblastoma or anaplastic astrocytoma, two aggressive types of brain tumors. It aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a novel treatment combining a retroviral vector, DB107, with the prodrug 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC). The approach involves using a biomarker to identify patients who are most likely to respond positively to this therapy. By selectively targeting tumor cells, this treatment hopes to improve survival rates and enhance the immune response against the tumor.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide a new, more effective treatment option for patients with recurrent high-grade gliomas.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies using similar viral vector approaches have shown promising results in improving survival rates for select patient populations.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Miami School of Medicine
Coral Gables, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shah, Ashish Harish — University of Miami School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Shah, Ashish Harish
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Dual-hypoxia and proliferation PET biomarker for recurrent glioblastoma
A study using a special PET imaging approach to map oxygen-poor areas and cell growth in recurrent brain tumors to guide treatment decisions.
-
Sonodynamic therapy for recurrent glioblastoma using MRI-guided focused ultrasound and ALA
A new treatment combines a drug called 5-ALA with MRI-guided focused ultrasound to target recurrent glioblastoma tumors.
-
Targeting Fatty Acid Metabolism to Fight Brain Cancer (GBM)
A new treatment approach uses a repurposed drug to cut off the energy supply of glioblastoma tumors in the brain.
-
Giving immune checkpoint therapy before surgery for recurrent glioblastoma
This research gives an immune checkpoint drug before surgery to people with recurrent glioblastoma to help the immune system attack the tumor.
-
Decorin and MRI markers to predict response to anti-VEGF treatment in recurrent glioblastoma
This project looks at whether a protein called decorin and a type of MRI (diffusion MRI) can help predict which people with recurrent glioblastoma will benefit from anti-VEGF therapy like bevacizumab.
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Using immune therapy before surgery for recurrent glioblastoma
This study is looking at how giving a special immune therapy before surgery can help patients with recurrent glioblastoma fight their tumors better, and it will compare the results to the usual treatments given after surgery.
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.