Stimulant to grow stem cells in the body to speed recovery after chemotherapy and stem cell transplant
Official title: Stimulant for stem cell expansion in vivo to speed recovery of neutropenia secondary to chemotherapy and stem cell transplant
Funded at Ship of Theseus, LLC · NIH-11398254 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new drug given briefly before transplant aims to help patients recover their blood and immune system faster after chemotherapy or stem cell transplant.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ship of Theseus, LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Eagleville, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | August 10, 2021 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $324,853 |
| NIH project number | 5R44HL158313-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11398254 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allogenic or autologous) who are at risk of prolonged neutropenia.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not undergoing stem cell transplantation or those without neutropenia risk may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project tests a short 24-hour exposure of a patented HOXB4m drug to donor stem cells to promote their growth once transplanted. The goal is to shorten the neutropenic period, which means fewer infections and shorter hospital stays for patients undergoing HSCT. The study focuses on translating a lab signal into a practical, patient-friendly treatment that could reduce recovery time and healthcare costs. If successful, it could lead to faster immune reconstitution and better overall outcomes after transplant.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Potentially faster recovery of immune function and shorter hospital stays after stem cell transplant.
How similar studies have gone: Previous approaches used longer ex vivo culture to expand cells, but this project uses a brief in vivo strategy with promising preclinical data.
Where this research is happening
-
Ship of Theseus, LLC
Eagleville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Elser, Jeremy a — Ship of Theseus, LLC
- Study coordinator: Elser, Jeremy a
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Stimulant that grows donor stem cells in the body to speed neutropenia recovery after chemotherapy and stem cell transplant
A drug given during or right before stem cell transplant helps donor stem cells multiply quickly inside the patient to shorten neutropenia after treatment.
-
Drug to boost stem cell growth and shorten low-white-blood-cell time after transplant
A brief drug treatment given to donor stem cells aims to help them grow faster inside the body so people recovering from chemotherapy or a stem cell transplant make white blood cells sooner.
-
Developing a drug to enhance stem cell growth for faster recovery after chemotherapy and bone marrow transplant
This study is testing a new drug that helps boost the growth of stem cells in patients getting a stem cell transplant, with the goal of speeding up recovery and reducing the risk of infections after the procedure.
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PointCheck: a home-based, non-invasive neutropenia monitor for chemotherapy patients
A portable, non-invasive device helps cancer patients on chemotherapy monitor neutropenia from home so doctors can prevent serious infections.
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A portable device to detect low white blood cell counts in cancer patients
This project is developing a new portable device called PointCheck to help cancer patients on chemotherapy monitor their white blood cell counts from home and prevent serious infections.
-
A device to monitor cancer patients for low white blood cell counts at home
This study is testing a new, easy-to-use device called PointCheck that helps cancer patients on chemotherapy check their white blood cell counts at home, so they can catch any serious drops in their levels early and stay safe from infections.
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.