Network to improve long-term outcomes after lung transplant
Official title: Lung Transplant Clinical Trial Network (LT-CTN)
Funded at Duke University · NIH-11144415 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project is testing whether adding an oral drug called belumosudil to standard post-transplant medicines can lower lung inflammation and help lung transplant recipients keep their new lungs working longer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project start | August 13, 2021 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $3,897,643 |
| NIH project number | 5U01AI163099-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11144415 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults and children who have received a lung transplant and are on standard post-transplant immunosuppression, especially those early after transplant or with prior acute rejection or airway inflammation.
✕Less likely to help
People who have not had a lung transplant, who have contraindications to belumosudil, or whose lung problems are not related to chronic allograft dysfunction are unlikely to benefit from this work.
What this research studies
This effort links twelve high-volume adult and pediatric lung transplant centers across North America to run coordinated clinical trials. Participants would continue their usual anti-rejection medicines and some would also receive the oral ROCK2 inhibitor belumosudil. Doctors will monitor lung function, signs of chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD), and inflammatory markers in lung fluid over time. The plan builds on benefits seen with belumosudil in bone marrow transplant patients who developed similar lung problems.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could reduce chronic rejection and help lung transplant recipients live longer with better breathing and lung function.
How similar studies have gone: Related use of belumosudil showed clinical benefit in graft-versus-host disease after bone marrow transplant, including pulmonary bronchiolitis, but using it to prevent CLAD in lung transplant recipients is a newer application.
Where this research is happening
-
Duke University
Durham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Palmer, Scott M — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Palmer, Scott M
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Exercise-based frailty program for people awaiting lung transplants
A tailored exercise and lifestyle program is being tested to reduce frailty and improve outcomes for people waiting for a lung transplant.
-
Understanding why a lung transplant sometimes fails early and how to tailor treatment
A study of people receiving lung transplants to find molecular differences that cause early graft failure and point to better, personalized therapies.
-
Targeting inflammation and alloimmunity in lung transplant recipients with clazakizumab
A study to see if blocking IL-6 with clazakizumab can improve survival and reduce rejection in people who have received a lung transplant.
-
Vaccination responses in lung transplant patients
This grant studies how people who have received lung transplants respond to COVID-19 vaccines and why their antibody responses may be limited.
-
The Post-Lung Transplant Aging in Immune Cells in Donor Lungs
This grant explores how aging donor lungs affect lung transplant outcomes by studying immune cells called alveolar macrophages.
-
Predictors of Lung Transplant Success and Costs
This study looks at what pre-transplant patient factors and biology predict a smooth recovery and lower costs after lung transplant.
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.