Targeting a new immune pathway to treat pancreatic cancer
Official title: Immune Checkpoint Blockade Targeting the Novel PSGL-1/VISTA Axis for Pancreatic Cancer
Funded at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute · NIH-11115362 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at a new treatment for pancreatic cancer that could help your immune system fight the disease better by blocking a protein called PSGL-1, and it will test how well this works in mice with different levels of immune cells.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project start | March 10, 2025 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $268,345 |
| NIH project number | 1R21CA293150-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11115362 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer who have not responded well to current immune therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with early-stage pancreatic cancer or those who have not yet undergone any form of treatment may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research aims to develop a new immunotherapy for pancreatic cancer by blocking a specific protein called PSGL-1, which may help activate T cells that fight tumors. The study will investigate how this treatment affects tumor cells with different levels of T cell presence and whether it can overcome resistance to existing immune therapies. By using a mouse model of pancreatic cancer, researchers will explore the potential benefits of this approach in enhancing anti-tumor immunity.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective treatments for pancreatic cancer, improving patient outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: While the specific targeting of the PSGL-1/VISTA axis is novel, similar immunotherapy approaches have shown promise in other aggressive cancers.
Where this research is happening
-
Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bradley, Linda Mac Pherson — Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute
- Study coordinator: Bradley, Linda Mac Pherson
Related research
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-
Targeting how platelets and pancreatic cancer talk to each other
A study exploring whether blocking the interaction between platelets and pancreatic cancer cells could slow cancer growth and spread and help identify new biomarkers.
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.