LOX-blocking drugs for chemo-resistant triple-negative breast cancer
Official title: Developing novel LOX inhibitors to target chemotherapy resistant TNBC
Funded at Loxigen, INC. · NIH-11178114 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work is creating new drugs that block a protein called LOX to help people whose triple-negative breast cancer has stopped responding to chemotherapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Loxigen, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Charleston, United States) |
| Project start | June 8, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,057,068 |
| NIH project number | 5R42CA275622-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11178114 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with triple-negative breast cancer whose tumors no longer respond to standard chemotherapy would be the most likely candidates for trials of a LOX inhibitor.
✕Less likely to help
People with other breast cancer subtypes, tumors that still respond to chemotherapy, or cancers driven by different resistance mechanisms may not benefit from a LOX-targeting drug.
What this research studies
Researchers are developing selective LOX inhibitors—small molecules designed to block a protein that helps tumors resist chemotherapy. They use high-throughput screening of compound libraries, then optimize hits for potency, selectivity, oral absorption, and safety. Promising candidates are tested in cell models and in mouse models of chemoresistant triple-negative breast cancer to see if they restore sensitivity to doxorubicin. The aim is to produce well-tolerated drug candidates that could move toward human testing.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these drugs could restore chemotherapy sensitivity in some people with chemo-resistant triple-negative breast cancer and improve outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical studies, including mouse models, have shown that blocking LOX can re-sensitize tumors to doxorubicin, but selective, well-tolerated LOX drugs are still new and under development.
Where this research is happening
-
Loxigen, INC.
Charleston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sahin, Ozgur — Loxigen, INC.
- Study coordinator: Sahin, Ozgur
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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.