Targeting FLT3 and Menin in pediatric ALL to reduce relapse
Official title: Optimized Targeting of FLT3 and Menin in KMT2A-R ALL toOvercome Immunotherapeutic Resistance
Funded at University of Colorado Denver · NIH-11457587 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A pediatric leukemia grant exploring new CAR T cell strategies plus epigenetic tweaks to prevent relapse after immunotherapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado Denver NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | July 2, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $706,866 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA303979-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11457587 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are children and young adults with KMT2A-rearranged ALL or related high-risk leukemias who could benefit from advanced CAR T cell strategies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without this specific leukemia subtype or those not eligible for cellular immunotherapies may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to improve CAR T cell therapy for children with a high-risk form of acute lymphoblastic leukemia by targeting FLT3 and combining it with menin inhibition. It plans to test best-in-class FLT3 CAR T cells and study whether adding menin inhibitors can boost anti-leukemia activity and prevent relapse, including switch to AML. Because primary leukemia cells from young kids are hard to study in the lab, the work will rely on carefully chosen mouse models that mirror human disease. The research could help shorten the time patients stay in treatment and reduce relapse after immunotherapy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could lead to more durable remissions for children with KMT2A-rearranged ALL.
How similar studies have gone: Prior immunotherapies have shown clinical benefit in relapsed pediatric ALL, supporting continued exploration of combination strategies.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Colorado Denver
Aurora, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fry, Terry J. — University of Colorado Denver
- Study coordinator: Fry, Terry J.
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.