Non-opioid pain relief for chemotherapy-related nerve pain using CART II
Official title: Anti-nociceptive actions of CART II in chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy
Funded at Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ · NIH-11325439 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study tests a brain-acting peptide called CART II to help reduce pain from chemotherapy-induced nerve damage without opioids.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Blacksburg, United States) |
| Project start | June 9, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $356,913 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA284075-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11325439 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This grant is not a patient-facing trial; future patients with CIPN could benefit if CART II moves toward human studies.
✕Less likely to help
People without CIPN or without access to future trials in this area may not benefit at this stage.
What this research studies
This project explores whether delivering CART II to the brain can lessen pain from CIPN, a common side effect of cancer treatment. Researchers will conduct experiments in animal models to understand how CART II reduces pain signals and to identify the brain pathways involved. They will examine different doses and both male and female subjects to ensure findings are broadly applicable. If results are promising, the work will inform future human studies aiming to provide safer, non-opioid pain relief for cancer patients with CIPN.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new non-opioid treatments for CIPN that improve comfort and quality of life for cancer patients.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical studies have shown CART II can reduce pain-like behaviors in CIPN models, but translation to humans is still needed.
Where this research is happening
-
Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ
Blacksburg, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Buczynski, Matthew Wallace — Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ
- Study coordinator: Buczynski, Matthew Wallace
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Non-invasive, microscopic biomarkers to detect CIPN in chemotherapy patients
This grant aims to develop a non-invasive imaging method to measure nerve changes in patients undergoing chemotherapy to better understand and monitor chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN).
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Longitudinal study of how body-sense relates to chemotherapy nerve damage
This study follows people with breast or gastrointestinal cancer and healthy controls to see if brain processing of body sensations contributes to chemotherapy-induced nerve damage.
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A new screen for chemotherapy-related nerve problems in young children
A clinician-scientist at Yale is developing a child-friendly survey to quickly screen for nerve-related side effects from cancer treatment in kids from birth to age 5.
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How the immune system’s CD4+ T cells in women might prevent chemotherapy-related nerve pain
A study in mice explores whether female immune cells in nerve tissue can lessen pain from chemotherapy, with potential implications for preventing CIPN in women.
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Axonal transport and chemotherapy-related nerve pain
This grant studies why certain cancer patients develop painful nerve damage from chemotherapy and explores ways to prevent or treat it.
-
Remote monitoring and nurse follow-up to manage chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy
A program uses symptom reporting tools with nurse follow-up to reduce and better manage chemotherapy-induced neuropathy for cancer survivors, during and after treatment.
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.