Targeting LAG3 to improve pre-surgery immunotherapy in head and neck cancer
Official title: Project 4: Targeting LAG3 to enhance neoadjuvant PD1 immunotherapy in HNSCC
Funded at Yale University · NIH-11265320 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant tests a combination immunotherapy before surgery to help people with head and neck cancer respond better to treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project start | September 22, 2020 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $202,221 |
| NIH project number | 9P50DE036901-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11265320 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma eligible for neoadjuvant immunotherapy and surgical resection.
✕Less likely to help
Patients unlikely to tolerate immunotherapy or not eligible for neoadjuvant treatment may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project looks at how blocking PD-1 and LAG-3, two checkpoints on immune cells, might boost the effectiveness of pre-surgery therapy in head and neck cancer. Researchers will compare two combinations, nivolumab with ipilimumab versus nivolumab with relatlimab, to see which primes the immune system best against the tumor. They will study changes in the tumor environment, T-cell diversity, and potential biomarkers that could predict who benefits. The work seeks to understand why some patients respond and how to tailor treatment accordingly. The study is led by Yale investigators and aims to translate findings into more effective neoadjuvant therapies for HNSCC patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could have higher response rates before surgery and better chances for long-term control of their cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Prior trials showed activity of PD-1 inhibitors; combining with LAG-3 blockade is a promising but still under investigation, with early signals of enhanced responses.
Where this research is happening
-
Yale University
New Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ferris, Robert L. — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Ferris, Robert L.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Restoring responses to immunotherapy in metastatic lymph nodes in head and neck cancer
A clinical research project aims to improve how immunotherapy works when cancer has spread to lymph nodes in head and neck cancer patients.
-
Biomarkers for who will respond to immunotherapy in head and neck cancer
A team at the University of Pittsburgh is studying biomarkers to predict which people with head and neck cancer will respond to immunotherapies that target PD-1 and LAG-3.
-
Hypoxia and metabolism as targets to improve immunotherapy in head and neck cancer
This grant tests new combinations of metabolic drugs with immunotherapy to help people with head and neck cancer respond better to treatment.
-
Enhancing Dendritic Cell Movement to Lymph Nodes to Improve Immunotherapy in HPV-negative Head and Neck Cancer
This grant aims to help people with HPV-negative head and neck cancer respond better to immunotherapy by guiding immune cells to the right lymph nodes.
-
Markers that predict response to LAG3 and PD‑1 immunotherapy for head and neck cancer
This project looks for tumor and blood markers to help predict which people with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma will respond to PD‑1 and LAG‑3 immunotherapies.
-
Targeting low oxygen and abnormal metabolism to help immunotherapy work better in head and neck cancer
This research tests whether changing tumor oxygen levels and metabolism can help immunotherapy work better for people with recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer.
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.