Safer medicines to prevent basal and squamous (non‑melanoma) skin cancer
Development of Potent and non-toxic rexinoids to prevent non-melanoma skin cancer
Researchers are developing new, non‑toxic oral rexinoid medicines aimed at preventing basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers, especially for people with weakened immune systems like organ transplant recipients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Alabama at Birmingham NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Birmingham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11289434 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project designs and makes new versions of two promising rexinoid compounds (UAB30 and UAB20) to be more potent while avoiding known side effects. Chemists and structural biologists will use x‑ray crystallography and biophysical studies to guide molecule design and optimization. The best candidates will be tested for suitable blood levels for long‑term use, for lack of toxicity, and for their ability to lower cancer‑related inflammatory markers in preclinical models. The goal is oral drugs that prevent non‑melanoma skin cancer without causing problems like high blood lipids.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people at high risk for non‑melanoma skin cancer, for example solid organ transplant recipients or those with a history of multiple basal or squamous cell cancers.
Not a fit: People with melanoma or those who already have advanced non‑melanoma skin cancers requiring immediate surgical treatment may not receive direct benefit from this preventive drug development work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could offer a safer, long‑term oral option to prevent basal and squamous skin cancers, particularly for people at high risk such as organ transplant recipients.
How similar studies have performed: Prior rexinoids and the investigators' compounds UAB30 and UAB20 showed promising cancer‑prevention effects in preclinical studies and avoided some common side effects, but creating more potent, safer analogs is a new advancement.
Where this research is happening
Birmingham, United States
- University of Alabama at Birmingham — Birmingham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Atigadda, Venkatram Reddy — University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Study coordinator: Atigadda, Venkatram Reddy
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.