National teamwork to improve care for chronic lymphocytic leukemia and B‑cell lymphomas
Official title: Curing Through Collaboration: Utilizing Cooperative Groups in the Fight Against Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia and B-cell Lymphomas
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11294169 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This effort brings together national cancer groups to test new targeted and combination treatments for adults with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and other B‑cell lymphomas.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | March 6, 2023 |
| Project end | February 29, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $151,525 |
| NIH project number | 5R50CA275929-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11294169 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia or other B‑cell lymphomas who meet individual trial eligibility criteria would be the intended participants.
✕Less likely to help
People without CLL or B‑cell lymphoma, those under the adult age range, or patients who do not meet specific trial eligibility (for example due to other health conditions) would not benefit directly from these trials.
What this research studies
I would hear that doctors at UNC and partner cancer centers are running clinical trials of newer targeted drugs and drug combinations for CLL and related B‑cell lymphomas. The project supports a lead clinician who is the international principal investigator on an EVOLVE CLL trial and helps organize SWOG trials so more patients can join. Trials include NCI-sponsored, investigator-initiated, and industry-sponsored options offered at participating cancer centers. The goal is to find better, more effective treatment options and to bring successful approaches into routine care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could expand treatment choices and improve outcomes for people living with CLL and other B‑cell lymphomas.
How similar studies have gone: Previous trials of targeted agents and combination regimens in CLL and B‑cell lymphomas have already improved care, and this program builds on that progress.
Where this research is happening
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Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Stephens, Deborah — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Stephens, Deborah
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Tracing how chronic lymphocytic leukemia can change into Richter’s syndrome
A physician-scientist is studying why CLL sometimes changes into Richter’s syndrome and how this transition happens at the genetic level, with the goal of better outcomes for people living with CLL.
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Paradigm shift in managing untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia in older adults
A Mayo Clinic doctor is leading a national collaboration to advance new frontline treatments for older adults with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
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AVO: a new triplet therapy for untreated high-risk CLL
A new, time-limited combination therapy (acalabrutinib, venetoclax, and obinutuzumab) is being tested for people with newly diagnosed high-risk CLL to see how well it works and how safe it is.
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Rewiring cancer pathways to trigger death in chronic lymphocytic leukemia
A Stanford-led study aims to use a new class of small molecules to flip cancer-driving signals so CLL cells die, offering hope for patients who have exhausted other therapies.
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METTL3's role in driving a stubborn form of chronic lymphocytic leukemia
A cancer-related study looks at how METTL3 helps a common leukemia (CLL) grow and resist treatment, with the goal of finding better therapies.
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Understanding why BTK inhibitors stop working in chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Researchers are studying why some people with chronic lymphocytic leukemia stop benefiting from BTK inhibitors and how to overcome that resistance.
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.