Targeting EBNA1 to treat Epstein–Barr virus–linked cancers
Drugging EBNA1 to Treat EBV-Associated Cancers
The team is creating drugs that bind and destroy the EBNA1 viral protein to help people with cancers caused by Epstein–Barr virus (EBV).
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wistar Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11212207 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are working on small drug-like molecules that stick to EBNA1 and stop it from keeping the virus genome inside cancer cells. They plan to make stronger versions that mark EBNA1 for destruction using PROTAC-style chemistry. The group will also study how blocking EBNA1 causes tumor cells to stop growing and use that knowledge to combine these drugs with existing cancer treatments. If these approaches work in the lab, the next steps would be testing them in animals and eventually in people with EBV-positive tumors.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people whose tumors test positive for Epstein–Barr virus, such as certain lymphomas, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, or EBV-positive gastric cancers.
Not a fit: People with cancers that are EBV-negative would be unlikely to benefit from EBNA1-targeted therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could produce targeted medicines that better control or shrink EBV-positive cancers while sparing healthy tissue.
How similar studies have performed: EBV-specific drugs are largely experimental: some EBNA1-targeting molecules show laboratory promise but clinical benefit has not yet been proven, and PROTAC approaches are a newer, emerging strategy.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- Wistar Institute — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Messick, Troy E — Wistar Institute
- Study coordinator: Messick, Troy E
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.