Personalized therapies that block tumor survival to overcome resistant melanoma
Personalized targeting of anti-apoptosis pathways to overcome therapeutic resistance in melanoma
This project aims to use personalized drugs that block melanoma cells' survival pathways to help people whose tumors have stopped responding to current treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wistar Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11189804 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will analyze each tumor's anti-apoptosis (cell survival) pathways to identify the key proteins keeping cancer cells alive. They will focus on melanomas that become resistant to BRAF+MEK inhibitors as well as BRAF-wildtype forms like acral lentiginous melanoma. The team will use patient tumor samples, lab models, and tailored drug combinations to find which survival mechanisms to block. Promising combinations would be used to guide future clinical testing to try to restore treatment response.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with metastatic or treatment-resistant melanoma—especially those whose tumors are BRAF-mutant and refractory to BRAF/MEK inhibitors, or patients with BRAF-wildtype acral melanomas—would be the main candidates.
Not a fit: Patients with early-stage melanoma already controlled by standard surgery or those whose tumors lack the specific anti-apoptotic changes targeted here may not benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could restore sensitivity to existing treatments and shrink tumors that no longer respond.
How similar studies have performed: Drugs targeting anti-apoptotic proteins such as BCL2 have worked in other cancers and show early promise in lab studies of melanoma, but personalized combinations for resistant melanoma are still relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- Wistar Institute — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Davies, Michael — Wistar Institute
- Study coordinator: Davies, Michael
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 below.