New ways to make mesothelioma treatment work better
Official title: Novel strategies to improve mesothelioma therapy
Funded at University of Hawaii at Manoa · NIH-11325290 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether common antidepressant drugs plus a drug that blocks Mcl-1 can help chemotherapy work better for people with malignant mesothelioma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Hawaii at Manoa NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Honolulu, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $525,368 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA290173-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11325290 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with a confirmed diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma who can provide tumor biopsy samples and are eligible for chemotherapy may be candidates for related clinical efforts.
✕Less likely to help
People without mesothelioma, those unable to undergo biopsies or chemotherapy, or those with medical conditions that prevent using the study drugs are unlikely to benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers aim to stop a cell-survival process called autophagy that asbestos triggers and that helps mesothelioma cells resist chemotherapy. They will test whether commonly used antidepressant drugs can block autophagy in mesothelioma cells and whether combining these with an Mcl-1 inhibitor increases chemotherapy killing. The work uses cell studies and mouse models and will analyze tumor biopsies from mesothelioma patients to see if the same effects appear in human tumors. The team will measure tumor responses and molecular markers of autophagy and apoptosis to determine if the combination can overcome chemoresistance.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could make existing chemotherapy more effective and help more mesothelioma patients respond to treatment.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical studies and animal models indicate antidepressants can block autophagy and Mcl-1 inhibition can sensitize tumors to chemotherapy, but combining these approaches in human mesothelioma is largely untested.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Honolulu, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yang, Haining — University of Hawaii at Manoa
- Study coordinator: Yang, Haining
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.