Long‑acting IL‑7 (NT‑I7) plus anti‑PD‑1 immunotherapy for glioblastoma

NT-I7, a novel long-acting interleukin-7, in combination with anti-PD-1 checkpoint blockade for the treatment of glioablastoma

NIH-funded research Mayo Clinic Rochester · NIH-11251928

Seeing if a long‑acting immune booster called NT‑I7 given with anti‑PD‑1 drugs helps people with glioblastoma restore immune cells and respond better to immunotherapy.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionMayo Clinic Rochester NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Rochester, United States)
Project IDNIH-11251928 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

If you join, you would receive NT‑I7, a long‑acting form of the immune protein IL‑7, together with an anti‑PD‑1 checkpoint inhibitor after standard radiation and temozolomide treatment. The team aims to raise your lymphocyte counts (especially CD8 T cells) because low lymphocytes after treatment are linked to worse outcomes and poor response to immunotherapy. The approach is based on earlier mouse studies showing longer survival with NT‑I7 plus anti‑PD‑1 and a first‑in‑human trial that showed NT‑I7 safely increased lymphocyte counts. The goal is to see whether boosting immune recovery can make checkpoint inhibitors work better in glioblastoma.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Adults with glioblastoma who have received or are receiving standard radiation and temozolomide and who are eligible for checkpoint inhibitor therapy would be the intended candidates.

Not a fit: People without glioblastoma or those who are not candidates for immunotherapy (for example due to uncontrolled infection or certain immune conditions) are unlikely to benefit from this approach.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: Could restore lymphocyte levels and improve the effectiveness of immunotherapy, which might lead to longer disease control or survival for some patients.

How similar studies have performed: Early human data show NT‑I7 is well tolerated and raises absolute lymphocyte counts, and mouse studies combining NT‑I7 with anti‑PD‑1 improved survival, but the clinical combination has limited testing so far.

Where this research is happening

Rochester, 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.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 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.