PSMA-targeted prostate cancer drug
Official title: Development of an Innovative PSMA-Targeted Small Molecule Prodrug for Prostate Cancer
Funded at Cancer Targeted Technology, LLC · NIH-11247620 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new drug that uses PSMA to carry a powerful chemotherapy directly to prostate tumors for men with advanced prostate cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cancer Targeted Technology, LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Woodinville, United States) |
| Project start | September 2, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,999,998 |
| NIH project number | 4R44CA290973-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11247620 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Men with advanced or metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer whose tumors express PSMA and who have progressed after standard therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with early-stage disease, tumors that do not express PSMA, or those unable to undergo experimental treatments are unlikely to benefit from this work.
What this research studies
This project is developing a small molecule that binds PSMA, a marker found on prostate cancer cells, to deliver a potent chemotherapy payload while limiting harm to healthy tissue. The team will link the chemotherapy (MMAE) to a PSMA-targeting carrier and test its stability, tumor-targeting, and tumor-killing activity in laboratory and animal models. They will optimize dosing and safety properties to prepare the drug for possible future testing in people.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could kill prostate cancer cells more effectively while reducing systemic side effects compared with conventional chemotherapy.
How similar studies have gone: Toxin-conjugate therapies using MMAE have been approved for other cancers, but PSMA-targeted small-molecule drug conjugates for prostate cancer are still experimental and not yet approved.
Where this research is happening
-
Cancer Targeted Technology, LLC
Woodinville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Langton-Webster, Beatrice — Cancer Targeted Technology, LLC
- Study coordinator: Langton-Webster, Beatrice
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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.