Targeting small extracellular vesicles to curb neuroblastoma spread
Official title: Targeting extracellular vesicles in neuroblastoma
Funded at Pennsylvania State Univ Hershey Med Ctr · NIH-11389617 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study to see if blocking tiny bubbles released by neuroblastoma cancer cells can slow spread and make treatments work better for children with this cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Pennsylvania State Univ Hershey Med Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hershey, United States) |
| Project start | August 11, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $692,167 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA304343-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11389617 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children with neuroblastoma, especially those with high-risk disease or relapsed/refractory disease, may be eligible for future trials or related studies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with cancers not driven by extracellular vesicle biology or those unable to participate in related trials may not benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers will focus on small extracellular vesicles produced by neuroblastoma tumors and how they help the cancer grow, spread, and evade treatment. They will test drugs like Tipifarnib to stop these vesicles from being released and to reduce their immune-suppressing effects. The team will examine how interfering with vesicle production impacts tumor behavior in lab models and, potentially, in collaboration with clinical data. The goal is to identify whether targeting these vesicles can make standard therapies more effective for high-risk neuroblastoma. The work builds on prior findings showing vesicles influence metastasis and immune responses in NB, with a path toward new combination strategies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lead to new therapies that reduce metastasis and improve responses to existing neuroblastoma treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work suggests extracellular vesicles play a role in neuroblastoma progression and that targeting them can alter tumor behavior, supporting further exploration.
Where this research is happening
-
Pennsylvania State Univ Hershey Med Ctr
Hershey, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Spiegelman, Vladimir S. — Pennsylvania State Univ Hershey Med Ctr
- Study coordinator: Spiegelman, Vladimir S.
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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.