Targeting RANK signaling to improve bone health in multiple myeloma patients
Official title: RANK Signaling Inhibitors for Osteolytic Lesions in Multiple Myeloma
Funded at University of Alabama at Birmingham · NIH-11033229 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at new medications that could help reduce bone damage in people with multiple myeloma by targeting specific pathways in the body, aiming to find safer options than current treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Alabama at Birmingham NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Birmingham, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2025 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $201,609 |
| NIH project number | 1R21CA296500-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11033229 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients diagnosed with multiple myeloma who are experiencing bone lesions or related skeletal complications.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have multiple myeloma or those without bone lesions may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates new small molecule inhibitors that target RANK signaling pathways to reduce bone lesions in patients with multiple myeloma. By focusing on the mechanisms that lead to osteoclast formation, the study aims to develop treatments that minimize the risk of serious side effects associated with current therapies like denosumab and bisphosphonates. The approach involves both in vitro and in vivo studies to understand how these inhibitors can effectively reduce bone damage without compromising immune function. Patients may be involved in trials to assess the safety and efficacy of these new treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to safer and more effective treatments for bone lesions in multiple myeloma patients, improving their quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in targeting RANK signaling pathways, but this specific approach using small molecules is novel and untested.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Feng, Xu — University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Study coordinator: Feng, Xu
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Integrative study of multiple myeloma genetics and disease biology
A team at Dana-Farber and partners is pursuing a long-term project to understand the genetic and molecular drivers of multiple myeloma and how treatments interact with disease biology.
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Comparative Modeling to Prevent, Detect Early, and Treat Multiple Myeloma
A research team will build and compare computer models to understand how multiple myeloma develops, can be detected earlier, and treated more effectively.
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How LDL Affects Multiple Myeloma: New Pathways to Keep Remission
A new grant is studying how cholesterol from LDL particles fuels multiple myeloma and how this interaction influences the tumor environment and immune response, with goals to help patients stay in remission.
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Therapy-induced senescence and immune activation in multiple myeloma
A study in people with multiple myeloma will explore how treatment-related senescence in cancer cells may stimulate the immune system and affect cancer return after standard frontline therapy.
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BCMA CAR-T enteritis: understanding immune toxicities in multiple myeloma
A broad study to uncover why some CAR-T cell treatments targeting BCMA cause severe intestinal inflammation in people with multiple myeloma.
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Understanding Drug-Resistant Multiple Myeloma to Stop Relapse
Researchers are studying why some myeloma cells resist treatment and how to create new therapies to prevent relapse.
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.