Making HDAC6-targeted treatments work better for breast cancer

Investigating the Molecular Determinants Driving Response and Resistance to HDAC6 Targeted Therapy in Breast Cancer

NIH-funded research Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · NIH-11284009

This work looks at how blocking HDAC6 affects breast cancers and finds which patients are most likely to benefit.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionIcahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (New York, United States)
Project IDNIH-11284009 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

If you join, researchers will use tumor samples, lab models, and past patient data to learn why some breast cancers respond to drugs that block HDAC6 while others resist them. They will use a validated HDAC6‑score (available through a New York CLIA test) to match tumor biology with response and study how blocking HDAC6 causes cMyc to be marked for destruction by the cell's proteasome. The team will also examine samples and results from a prior treatment combining the HDAC6 inhibitor ricolinostat with nab‑paclitaxel to find molecular signs of benefit or resistance. The findings would be used to help match people to HDAC6-based therapies and to design better treatment combinations.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with breast cancer—especially metastatic cases—whose tumors test positive on the HDAC6‑score biomarker.

Not a fit: People whose tumors have a low HDAC6‑score or who have cancers other than breast cancer are unlikely to benefit from HDAC6-targeted approaches.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify who will benefit from HDAC6-targeted drugs and guide better combination treatments for breast cancer.

How similar studies have performed: Earlier clinical work combining the HDAC6 inhibitor ricolinostat with nab‑paclitaxel was well tolerated and showed clinical activity in metastatic breast cancer, supporting further study.

Where this research is happening

New York, 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.
Conditions Breast CancerBreast Cancer CellBreast Cancer TreatmentBreast Cancer therapy
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.