New oral treatment to protect against gastrointestinal damage from cancer radiation therapy
Official title: Novel Drug Delivery Platform as Medical Countermeasure for treatment of Gastrointestinal Radiation Damage
Funded at Tiny Cargo Company, the · NIH-10698637 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a new oral treatment made from milk that aims to help cancer patients avoid and ease stomach problems caused by radiation therapy, making their recovery more comfortable.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Tiny Cargo Company, the NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Roanoke, United States) |
| Project start | September 22, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $400,000 |
| NIH project number | 1R41CA272078-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10698637 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are cancer patients who are scheduled to receive radiation therapy and are at risk of gastrointestinal complications.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not undergoing radiation therapy or those with pre-existing severe gastrointestinal disorders may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates a novel oral treatment designed to prevent and alleviate gastrointestinal side effects caused by radiation therapy in cancer patients. The treatment utilizes milk-derived extracellular vesicles that carry a protective drug, allowing for effective delivery through the digestive system. By encapsulating a specific peptide in these vesicles, the therapy aims to shield gut cells from damage during radiation treatment, potentially improving patient comfort and recovery. The approach is innovative, as it focuses on a natural delivery system that minimizes regulatory hurdles.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly reduce the gastrointestinal side effects experienced by cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy.
How similar studies have gone: While the specific approach of using milk-derived extracellular vesicles for this purpose is novel, similar strategies in drug delivery have shown promise in other contexts.
Where this research is happening
-
Tiny Cargo Company, the
Roanoke, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Marsh, Spencer Reid — Tiny Cargo Company, the
- Study coordinator: Marsh, Spencer Reid
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.