Markers that predict response to LAG3 and PD‑1 immunotherapy for head and neck cancer
Official title: Project 3: Determining biomarkers for responsiveness to immunotherapy targeting LAG3/PD1 in HNSCC
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11192286 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks for tumor and blood markers to help predict which people with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma will respond to PD‑1 and LAG‑3 immunotherapies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2004 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $318,409 |
| NIH project number | 5P50CA097190-19 |
| Project ID | NIH-11192286 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma who are receiving or may receive PD‑1 or LAG‑3 immunotherapy and who can provide tumor tissue and blood samples.
✕Less likely to help
People without head and neck cancer or those not treated with PD‑1/LAG‑3 therapies are unlikely to directly benefit from this project.
What this research studies
If you have head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, researchers will study tumor tissue and blood samples to find immune markers linked to treatment response. They will compare samples from people who respond to PD‑1 and LAG‑3 therapies with those who do not, focusing on CD8+ T cell activity and inhibitory receptor patterns. Laboratory and molecular analyses will test how blocking LAG3 alone or with PD‑1 changes immune function and whether these changes match clinical outcomes. The goal is to identify biomarkers that predict benefit or reveal resistance mechanisms that could be targeted with combination treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help doctors predict who will benefit from PD‑1 and LAG‑3 therapies and guide more personalized treatment plans.
How similar studies have gone: PD‑1 inhibitors are established in several cancers and LAG‑3 plus PD‑1 combinations have shown benefit in other tumor types, but using LAG‑3 targeting specifically in head and neck cancer is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bruno, Tullia Carmela — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Bruno, Tullia Carmela
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Restoring responses to immunotherapy in metastatic lymph nodes in head and neck cancer
A clinical research project aims to improve how immunotherapy works when cancer has spread to lymph nodes in head and neck cancer patients.
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Biomarkers for who will respond to immunotherapy in head and neck cancer
A team at the University of Pittsburgh is studying biomarkers to predict which people with head and neck cancer will respond to immunotherapies that target PD-1 and LAG-3.
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Hypoxia and metabolism as targets to improve immunotherapy in head and neck cancer
This grant tests new combinations of metabolic drugs with immunotherapy to help people with head and neck cancer respond better to treatment.
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Enhancing Dendritic Cell Movement to Lymph Nodes to Improve Immunotherapy in HPV-negative Head and Neck Cancer
This grant aims to help people with HPV-negative head and neck cancer respond better to immunotherapy by guiding immune cells to the right lymph nodes.
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Targeting LAG3 to improve pre-surgery immunotherapy in head and neck cancer
This grant tests a combination immunotherapy before surgery to help people with head and neck cancer respond better to treatment.
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Targeting low oxygen and abnormal metabolism to help immunotherapy work better in head and neck cancer
This research tests whether changing tumor oxygen levels and metabolism can help immunotherapy work better for people with recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer.
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.