Targeted alpha-particle therapy combined with immune checkpoint drugs for melanoma
Official title: Combinations of Receptor-Targeted Alpha Radionuclide Therapy and Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors for Melanoma Treatment
Funded at State University New York Stony Brook · NIH-11336464 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new targeted alpha-particle treatment paired with immune checkpoint drugs for people with advanced melanoma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | State University New York Stony Brook NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stony Brook, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2023 |
| Project end | March 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $557,991 |
| NIH project number | 7R01CA269221-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11336464 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be people with advanced or metastatic melanoma whose tumors show MC1R expression and who are eligible for radionuclide therapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors.
✕Less likely to help
People with early-stage melanoma, tumors that lack MC1R expression, or those who cannot tolerate radiation or immunotherapy may not receive benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
Researchers are developing small peptides that specifically bind the melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R), which is present on most metastatic melanoma cells. These peptides are labeled with lead isotopes (203Pb/212Pb) so doctors can image tumors and deliver highly focused alpha radiation directly to cancer cells. The project plans to combine this targeted radiation with immune checkpoint inhibitors to try to increase tumor killing and stimulate a stronger anti-cancer immune response. Work includes laboratory and animal studies and builds on earlier first-in-human imaging that showed the peptide can successfully find melanoma in people.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could more precisely destroy melanoma cells and boost immune control, potentially improving outcomes for people with metastatic melanoma.
How similar studies have gone: Early first-in-human imaging with an MC1R-targeted tracer demonstrated feasibility, but combining MC1R-targeted alpha therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors is largely novel with limited prior human data.
Where this research is happening
-
State University New York Stony Brook
Stony Brook, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Miao, Yubin — State University New York Stony Brook
- Study coordinator: Miao, Yubin
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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.