Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy Platform for Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Official title: Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy Platform Study Reveals Mechanisms of Response in Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC)
Funded at Johns Hopkins University · NIH-11330677 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A Johns Hopkins study will test immune-based therapy given before surgery to shrink liver cancer and help prevent recurrence.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $672,132 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA285544-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11330677 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma eligible for surgical resection and who can tolerate immunotherapy and the study regimens.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with advanced disease, contraindications to immunotherapy, or those unable to undergo surgery may not benefit.
What this research studies
This trial tests three combinations of immunotherapy given before liver tumor removal to prompt the body's immune system to attack cancer. By treating patients prior to surgery, researchers aim to understand why some tumors respond and others don’t, using larger tumor samples to study the immune environment. The study uses three arms: nivolumab alone, nivolumab with cabozantinib, and nivolumab with relatlimab, to see which combination best promotes anti-tumor immunity in early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma. The investigators will analyze tumor and immune tissue to uncover mechanisms of response and resistance, with the goal of refining perioperative treatment for liver cancer.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could reduce cancer recurrence after surgery and guide more effective, personalized perioperative therapies for liver cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Earlier neoadjuvant immunotherapy studies in liver cancer show promise in improving immune responses and guiding personalized treatment, but this platform approach is still being evaluated.
Where this research is happening
-
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yarchoan, Mark — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Yarchoan, Mark
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Using immunotherapy before surgery to improve outcomes in liver cancer
This study is looking at how giving immunotherapy before surgery can help boost the immune system's ability to fight liver cancer, and it's for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who are preparing for surgery.
-
Role of metabolic stress in NASH-related liver cancer
This grant explores how metabolic stress linked to NASH may drive liver cancer and looks for ways to interrupt that process to help patients.
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Determinants of immunotherapy response in NASH-related liver cancer
Aims to understand why some patients with NASH-related hepatocellular carcinoma respond differently to immunotherapy and to identify biomarkers that predict who benefits.
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Predicting early harms and biomarkers in liver cancer patients treated with immunotherapy
This grant aims to identify early signs of serious side effects and find blood biomarkers that predict toxicity or good response in people with hepatocellular carcinoma treated with immunotherapy.
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Catheter-guided nanoparticle delivery of anti–PD-L1 immunotherapy to liver tumors
It delivers PD-L1 blocking immunotherapy directly into liver tumors through a catheter using nanoparticle carriers for people with hepatocellular carcinoma.
-
Image-guided device to deliver immunotherapy and heat to liver tumors
This project uses a special image-guided device to put immune-boosting medicine and controlled heat directly into liver tumors for people with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.
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.