Targeted immune and metabolic therapies and tests for triple-negative breast cancer
Project 3: Development of Novel Therapies and Biomarkers for TNBC Patients
Trying new combinations of immune-boosting and metabolism-targeting treatments plus lab tests to help people with triple-negative breast cancer get better responses.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11181669 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project uses genomic information from people with TNBC and from mouse models to design new combination treatments. Researchers plan to pair PD‑1 checkpoint blockers with a CD40LG agonist to boost B cell and dendritic cell activity and will test drugs that reduce tumor-supporting macrophage function. They will also pursue a metabolic vulnerability found in some TNBC tumors as an extra target. Patient tumor biomarkers will be used to guide which combinations are matched to which patients and to inform early clinical testing.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer whose tumors can be profiled for biomarkers and who are eligible for clinical testing of combination immune/metabolic therapies.
Not a fit: Patients with hormone-receptor-positive or HER2-positive breast cancers, or those unable to undergo tumor biomarker testing, are unlikely to benefit directly from these specific approaches.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could produce more effective, personalized therapies and tests to predict who will benefit from immune or metabolism-targeted treatments.
How similar studies have performed: Immune checkpoint drugs have helped some TNBC patients, but combining PD‑1 blockers with CD40 agonists and metabolism-targeting drugs is a newer strategy that remains under clinical investigation.
Where this research is happening
Chapel Hill, United States
- Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill — Chapel Hill, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Perou, Charles M — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Perou, Charles M
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.