Lowering arginine with chemotherapy for aggressive prostate cancer
Official title: Effects of Arginine Depletion Combined with Platinum-Taxane Chemotherapy in Aggressive Variant Prostate Cancers (AVPC)
Funded at University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr · NIH-11174404 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Looks at whether lowering a nutrient called arginine together with platinum‑taxane chemotherapy can help men with aggressive, treatment‑resistant prostate cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | September 21, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $636,578 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA283402-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11174404 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are men with aggressive, androgen‑indifferent prostate cancer (AVPC), especially those whose tumors show ASS1 loss or who have progressed on standard hormone therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with hormone‑sensitive prostate cancer, cancers that retain ASS1 activity, or those who cannot tolerate chemotherapy or arginine‑depleting treatment are less likely to benefit.
What this research studies
You would be invited to join a program that pairs a drug that lowers blood arginine (ADI‑PEG20) with platinum and taxane chemotherapy for aggressive, androgen‑indifferent prostate cancer. Doctors will test your tumor and blood for markers like ASS1 to see if your cancer depends on outside arginine, and they may collect biopsies and blood samples before and during treatment. The team combines results from patient samples and lab models to tailor the drug combo and monitor responses and side effects. Visits will include regular infusions, scans, and lab tests to track how the cancer responds and how you are doing.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could shrink tumors or slow progression in men whose cancers rely on external arginine and who do not respond well to hormone therapies.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work adding carboplatin to cabazitaxel and using PARP or PD‑1 agents in AVPC has shown meaningful improvements, and arginine‑depletion drugs like ADI‑PEG20 have shown activity in ASS1‑deficient tumors in other cancers, but this specific combination is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
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University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Aparicio, Ana — University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
- Study coordinator: Aparicio, Ana
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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.