Targeted drugs that hit the androgen receptor and epigenetic switches in castration-resistant prostate cancer
Official title: Development of Novel Targeted Therapeutic Agents for Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer
Funded at Georgia Institute of Technology · NIH-11337536 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new small molecule treatment aims to block the androgen receptor and disrupt epigenetic regulation to slow or stop progression of castration-resistant prostate cancer in men.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Georgia Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project start | June 3, 2022 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $524,183 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA266013-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11337536 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are men diagnosed with castration-resistant prostate cancer who may benefit from future translational or clinical studies of novel AR/HDAC-targeting therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose cancer does not rely on AR signaling or does not respond to HDAC-based strategies may see limited or no benefit.
What this research studies
This grant focuses on creating a small molecule that simultaneously blocks AR activity and modulates histone-deacetylase enzymes to shut down prostate cancer cell growth. By combining antiandrogen activity with epigenetic interference, the approach seeks to reduce AR signaling and promote AR degradation. The project uses preclinical studies to design, test, and optimize compounds with better bioavailability and potency than current therapies. If successful, this strategy could offer a new line of treatment for men whose cancers no longer respond to standard AR-targeted therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer could have a new therapeutic option that more effectively suppresses AR signaling and cancer growth.
How similar studies have gone: Earlier AR inhibitors and HDAC inhibitors showed promise in models but had limited clinical success, making this combinational approach novel and potentially more effective.
Where this research is happening
-
Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Oyelere, Adegboyega — Georgia Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Oyelere, Adegboyega
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding how aggressive cell states emerge in castration-resistant prostate cancer
A research project aims to uncover the hidden cell states that help prostate cancer resist standard therapy and how these states arise early in tumor development.
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Enhancer RNA CYP11A1-eRNA in castration-resistant prostate cancer
Researchers are testing a new RNA-based target, CYP11A1-eRNA, to see if blocking it can hamper the growth of castration-resistant prostate cancer in the lab and animal models.
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Targeted Immunostimulatory Dual Drug Conjugates for Heterogeneous Metastatic Prostate Cancer
Researchers are testing a targeted therapy approach to help people with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer by boosting the immune system and delivering drugs directly to cancer cells.
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Androgen Receptor Action in Prostate Cancer that Stops Responding to Therapy
This grant supports research to understand why certain prostate cancers stop responding to AR-targeted therapies and to find new ways to target them.
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Hyperactive methylation in a hard-to-treat prostate cancer subtype
Researchers are studying a newly identified methylation-heavy group of advanced prostate cancer to understand its biology and find clues for better treatments.
-
Therapeutic Targeting of Lineage Plasticity in Advanced Prostate Cancer
A cancer research effort aimed at understanding and tackling how aggressive prostate cancers become resistant to standard AR-targeted therapies.
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.