Personalized multi‑antigen T‑cell therapy for metastatic pancreatic cancer after FOLFIRINOX
Official title: A Phase 1 Study of Patient-Derived Multi-Tumor Associated Antigen Specific T Cells (MT-601) Administered to Patients with Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer following frontline FOLFIRINOX
Funded at Marker Therapeutics, INC. · NIH-11180449 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer who have completed FOLFIRINOX receive a personalized T‑cell treatment made from their own blood that targets several tumor proteins to help the immune system attack the cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Marker Therapeutics, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $674,275 |
| NIH project number | 5R44CA295168-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11180449 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with metastatic pancreatic cancer who have completed frontline FOLFIRINOX, can undergo apheresis, and meet the medical criteria for a Phase 1 cell therapy trial.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who have earlier‑stage disease, cannot donate enough cells by apheresis, have rapidly declining health, or have medical problems that prevent receiving cell therapy may not benefit from this trial.
What this research studies
You would give a blood sample (apheresis) so doctors can grow T cells from your own immune system that recognize six tumor proteins commonly found in pancreatic cancer. Those expanded, patient‑derived T cells (called MT‑601) use their natural receptors and include both CD4 and CD8 cells to find and kill cancer cells. The treatment is given after frontline FOLFIRINOX chemotherapy and includes follow‑up visits to monitor safety and how your tumor responds. Laboratory studies showed promising activity against pancreatic cancer cells in the lab, and this Phase 1 work is focused on bringing that approach safely to patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this therapy could help the immune system shrink tumors or slow disease progression and potentially extend survival for people with metastatic pancreatic cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Cell therapies using patient T cells have been very successful in some blood cancers but have shown limited success in solid tumors so far, so this multi‑antigen, non‑engineered T‑cell approach is promising but still early and unproven in pancreatic cancer.
Where this research is happening
-
Marker Therapeutics, INC.
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Vera, Juan Fernando — Marker Therapeutics, INC.
- Study coordinator: Vera, Juan Fernando
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This study is testing a new treatment called MT-601, which uses specially modified T cells from your own blood to help fight metastatic pancreatic cancer after you've had FOLFIRINOX chemotherapy, with the hope of improving how well your body can target and control the cancer.
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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.