New drugs targeting adenosine receptors for triple negative breast cancer
Developing purinergic receptor inverse agonists for treating triple negative breast cancer
This project is creating medicines that block adenosine receptors to treat people with metastatic triple negative breast cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Hlth Science Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Antonio, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11291306 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, the team is designing new compounds that block two adenosine receptors (A2A and A2B) that help tumors grow and hide from the immune system. They will use AI-guided chemistry and laboratory experiments plus animal testing to make and improve these inverse agonists. The most promising compounds will be readied for further safety testing and eventual human trials. The goal is to create treatment options that work when standard hormone- or HER2-targeted therapies do not.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people with metastatic triple negative breast cancer, especially those whose disease has progressed on standard chemotherapy or shows signs of adenosine-driven immune suppression.
Not a fit: People with non–triple negative breast cancers or whose tumors lack active adenosine signaling may not benefit from these specific drugs.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could produce new targeted drugs that slow tumor growth, reduce metastasis, and improve outcomes for people with advanced TNBC.
How similar studies have performed: Blocking adenosine signaling has shown promise in lab and early clinical cancer immunotherapy work, but developing inverse agonists specifically for TNBC is a newer and less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
San Antonio, United States
- University of Texas Hlth Science Center — San Antonio, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jiang, Jean X — University of Texas Hlth Science Center
- Study coordinator: Jiang, Jean X
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 below.