New combination treatment for diffuse large B‑cell lymphoma
Official title: Translation of a novel combination therapy approach for non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Funded at Mayo Clinic Rochester · NIH-11180362 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project is trying a virus-based therapy together with checkpoint immunotherapy for people (and companion dogs) with relapsed diffuse large B‑cell lymphoma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mayo Clinic Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $460,749 |
| NIH project number | 5U01CA272257-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11180362 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B‑cell lymphoma who have limited standard treatment options, and companion dogs with DLBCL may be eligible at participating veterinary centers.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with other lymphoma subtypes, those who are newly cured by standard treatments, or people unable to receive intravenous viral therapy or checkpoint inhibitors may not benefit from this work.
What this research studies
You would hear about a treatment that uses a fast‑replicating virus given through the vein to infect and help kill lymphoma cells while also giving a drug that boosts the immune system's ability to attack the cancer. Researchers are studying how the tumor environment and immune cells respond to this combo, using naturally occurring lymphoma in pet dogs as a real‑world model alongside human-focused work. The team will monitor safety, side effects, and signs that the combination makes immunotherapy work better for tumors that did not respond before. Results will help understand reasons for resistance and guide safer, more effective approaches for people with hard-to-treat lymphoma.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could make immunotherapy work for more people with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B‑cell lymphoma and offer new treatment options.
How similar studies have gone: Oncolytic viruses have shown promise in preclinical models and checkpoint inhibitors work well for some lymphomas like Hodgkin's, but combining VSV with checkpoint blockade for DLBCL is largely novel and is now being translated toward patients.
Where this research is happening
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Mayo Clinic Rochester
Rochester, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Naik, Shruthi — Mayo Clinic Rochester
- Study coordinator: Naik, Shruthi
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Novel combination therapy for non-Hodgkin lymphoma in people and dogs
A new treatment combo using an oncolytic virus and other therapies is being tested to help people with hard-to-treat non-Hodgkin lymphoma, with studies also involving dogs to better understand responses.
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Combination therapy approach for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL)
A Mayo Clinic team is testing a new combination treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma to improve responses in patients and in dogs with similar disease.
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Multi-antigen T cell therapy for relapsed NHL
A patient-derived T cell therapy called MT-601 targets six tumor-associated antigens to help treat relapsed non-Hodgkin lymphoma after other therapies may have failed.
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Precision targeted radioactive antibody therapy for non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Researchers are developing more precise radioactive antibodies to treat people with CD20-positive non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
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AI-designed drugs targeting a common lymphoma mutation (MYD88 L265P)
Researchers are using artificial intelligence to create and test new drugs that block a common MYD88 mutation found in many B‑cell non‑Hodgkin lymphomas to help people with these cancers.
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New combination therapy for non-Hodgkin lymphoma
A virus-based combination treatment aims to boost the immune system to help people and companion dogs with relapsed or treatment-resistant diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.
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.