STING-boosted BCG to improve bladder cancer treatment
Official title: STING agonist-expressing BCG to enhance bladder cancer therapy
Funded at Oncosting LLC · NIH-11312959 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new therapy using a modified BCG bacterium to deliver a STING activator could boost bladder cancer treatment for patients with non-muscle invasive disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Oncosting LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | September 10, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,030,215 |
| NIH project number | 1R44CA310037-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11312959 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer who are recipients of intravesical BCG or who have relapsed after standard BCG therapy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with advanced disease or those unable to receive intravesical therapy may not benefit.
What this research studies
OncoSTING aims to upgrade standard BCG therapy by having BCG carry a STING activator inside tumor cells, potentially improving antitumor immune responses in NMIBC. The approach is designed to provide sustained delivery of the STING stimulant directly in the bladder tumor environment, while leveraging BCG’s existing role in this cancer. If successful, this could reduce relapse and improve response rates for patients who do not fully benefit from current BCG therapy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with NMIBC may experience better tumor control and lower relapse rates.
How similar studies have gone: Previous BCG-based approaches have limited improvements; this project explores a novel combination with a STING agonist to enhance efficacy.
Where this research is happening
-
Oncosting LLC
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wallach, Todd — Oncosting LLC
- Study coordinator: Wallach, Todd
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Population modeling to reduce bladder cancer burden
Aimed at predicting and guiding effective, population-based ways to prevent and control bladder cancer.
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Blocking a new immune checkpoint in bladder cancer
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Nrf2 in T cells and how it could boost immune power against bladder cancer
A small grant will explore how a T-cell protein called Nrf2 affects muscle-invasive bladder cancer and whether targeting it could help patients respond better to immune therapies.
-
Understanding why bladder cancer spreads and resists treatment
This grant studies how advanced bladder cancer changes and spreads across the body, aiming to uncover why it’s hard to treat.
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Molecular clues to bladder cancer cell changes and therapy response
This NIH grant looks at how bladder cancer cells change their identity and how that affects response to treatment, with a focus on aggressive neuroendocrine variants.
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Repurposing spironolactone to treat bladder cancer inside the bladder
Aims to repurpose spironolactone as an intravesical treatment for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer to help prevent recurrence and progression.
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.