New IL-7 receptor antibody treatment for relapsed T‑cell leukemia
Official title: Early clinical development of a novel IL-7R antibody for treating children with relapsed T-cell leukemia
Funded at Fannin Partners, LLC · NIH-10598447 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new antibody that targets the IL‑7 receptor is being tested as a treatment for children and adults whose T‑cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia has come back.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Fannin Partners, LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $999,997 |
| NIH project number | 5R44CA268530-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10598447 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are children or adults with relapsed or refractory T‑cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia whose tumors express the IL‑7 receptor.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with B‑cell ALL, cancers that do not express the IL‑7 receptor, or those who cannot join an early Phase 1 trial are unlikely to benefit from this project.
What this research studies
Researchers are developing 4A10, an antibody that binds the IL‑7 receptor on T‑cell leukemia cells to block growth signals and recruit immune cells to kill the cancer. The drug showed strong anti-cancer activity in lab tests and in mice implanted with patient leukemia cells. The team has scaled up manufacturing and completed toxicology studies to support an IND filing. The next step is a first-in-human Phase 1 trial to find a safe dose and monitor side effects.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this therapy could provide a new option for people with relapsed T‑cell ALL who currently have very limited treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Antibodies that mediate immune cell killing have benefited some blood cancers, but IL‑7 receptor–targeting in T‑ALL is a newer approach with promising preclinical but limited clinical data so far.
Where this research is happening
-
Fannin Partners, LLC
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Varadhachary, Atul — Fannin Partners, LLC
- Study coordinator: Varadhachary, Atul
Related research
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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.