Targeted treatment for colon inflammation caused by cancer immunotherapy
Official title: Pathway-guided treatment of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy-induced colon toxicity
Funded at Northwestern University · NIH-11143155 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will try treatments that target specific immune pathways to help people who develop colon inflammation (colitis) from immune checkpoint inhibitor cancer therapies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $663,989 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA284640-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11143155 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People receiving immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy who develop moderate to severe colon inflammation (biopsy-confirmed ICI-colitis) would be the best candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without immunotherapy-related colitis, those with mild symptoms that do not require targeted treatment, or patients whose colitis is caused by infection or unrelated conditions are unlikely to benefit.
What this research studies
You'd be part of work that uses colon biopsies and blood tests from people who developed colitis after immunotherapy to find the immune signals driving their inflammation. Researchers will study immune cells and markers such as TNF-α to see which pathways are active in each person. That information will guide choices about targeted treatments (for example, anti-TNF or anti-integrin therapy) instead of a one-size-fits-all steroid approach. The goal is to resolve inflammation faster and make it safer to restart cancer immunotherapy when possible.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to faster, more precise treatments for immunotherapy-related colitis that reduce steroid exposure and help patients resume cancer treatment sooner.
How similar studies have gone: Corticosteroids and anti-TNF therapies have helped many patients with ICI-colitis, but using biopsy- or pathway-guided selection of targeted therapies is relatively new and not yet proven in large trials.
Where this research is happening
-
Northwestern University
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wu, Jennifer — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Wu, Jennifer
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Pathway-guided treatment of colon toxicity from immune checkpoint inhibitors
A patient-focused look at a study that aims to understand and improve how immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy causes colon inflammation and how to treat it more effectively.
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.