New treatments for Merkel cell carcinoma
Official title: Identifying novel therapies targeting Merkel cell carcinoma and tumor microenvironment
Funded at Southern California Inst for Res/educ · NIH-11123323 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research looks for new ways to treat Merkel cell carcinoma, a serious skin cancer, especially for patients who don't respond to current therapies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Southern California Inst for Res/educ NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Long Beach, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | July 14, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $384,870 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA266514-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11123323 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with Merkel cell carcinoma, particularly those who do not respond to current immune therapies or are ineligible for them, could benefit from future treatments developed from this research.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without Merkel cell carcinoma would not directly benefit from this specific research, as it focuses on this particular cancer.
What this research studies
Merkel cell carcinoma is a very aggressive skin cancer with limited treatment options and a low survival rate for advanced cases. While immune checkpoint inhibitors are a standard treatment, many patients are not eligible or develop resistance, leaving them with no other choices. This project aims to find new therapies that can either boost the effectiveness of current treatments, overcome resistance, or serve as alternatives for those who cannot use existing drugs. Researchers are testing a new drug called fimepinostat, alone and in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors, to see how well it works and how it affects cancer cells and their surroundings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new and more effective treatment options for patients with Merkel cell carcinoma, potentially improving survival rates and quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: Initial laboratory screening has identified fimepinostat as a promising drug with strong anti-cancer activity against Merkel cell carcinoma cells.
Where this research is happening
-
Southern California Inst for Res/educ
Long Beach, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gao, Ling — Southern California Inst for Res/educ
- Study coordinator: Gao, Ling
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Immunobiology and Immunotherapy for Merkel Cell Carcinoma
A team at the University of Washington is advancing how the immune system fights a rare skin cancer called Merkel cell carcinoma and testing new immune-based treatments to help patients who don’t respond to existing therapies.
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New therapies for Merkel cell carcinoma and its immune environment
A cancer grant is testing a drug that may boost immune therapies and help patients with Merkel cell carcinoma who don’t respond to current treatments.
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Understanding how Merkel cell skin cancer develops
This research explores how a specific virus causes Merkel cell carcinoma, a rare and aggressive skin cancer.
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Immune therapies for Merkel cell carcinoma
This project develops and tests new immune-based treatments to help people with Merkel cell carcinoma, especially those whose cancers no longer respond to PD‑1 drugs.
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Investigating a new treatment for Merkel cell carcinoma
This study is looking at a type of skin cancer called Merkel cell carcinoma, especially in older Veterans, to see how a specific protein affects the cancer and to test a new treatment that could help those who can't use current therapies.
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Understanding why some patients with Merkel cell carcinoma resist immunotherapy
This study is looking into why some people with Merkel cell carcinoma, a tough type of skin cancer, don’t respond well to immunotherapy, and it hopes to find clues that could help improve treatment for those patients.
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.