Targeting specific immune cells to improve cancer treatment
Official title: Immunotherapy to deplete key Treg subsets in solid tumors
Funded at Sonoval LLC · NIH-11006042 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a new treatment that aims to help your immune system fight solid tumors like lung cancer and melanoma by targeting certain cells that block its natural response, and it’s designed to be safer and more effective than previous options.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sonoval LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Gaithersburg, United States) |
| Project start | August 13, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $1,293,505 |
| NIH project number | 1R44CA295167-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11006042 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients diagnosed with solid tumors, particularly those who have not responded well to current immunotherapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with tumors that do not involve Treg suppression or those who have already had significant adverse reactions to similar therapies may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing a new immunotherapy that aims to deplete certain regulatory T cells (Tregs) in solid tumors, such as non-small cell lung cancer and melanoma. These Tregs can inhibit the body's natural anti-tumor immune response, making it harder for patients to benefit from existing treatments like checkpoint inhibitors. The approach involves creating a modified version of a previously used drug, Ontak, which has been improved to reduce side effects while effectively targeting Tregs. By enhancing the immune response against tumors, this therapy could potentially lead to better treatment outcomes for patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective cancer treatments that improve survival rates for patients with solid tumors.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise with Treg-depleting therapies, but this specific approach with the modified Ontak is novel and aims to address past limitations.
Where this research is happening
-
Sonoval LLC
Gaithersburg, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Suzdak, Peter David — Sonoval LLC
- Study coordinator: Suzdak, Peter David
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Plant virus-based immunotherapy for solid tumors
A small, early-stage program aims to develop a plant virus-based therapy injected into tumors to help the body fight solid cancers.
-
Oral Microbiome–Based Aid to Immunotherapy for Refractory Solid Tumors
A mouth-to-tumor therapy using a probiotic-like approach to help immune checkpoint drugs work better for patients whose solid tumors don’t respond well to current treatments.
-
A new immunotherapy to improve solid tumor treatment
This project is developing a new type of immunotherapy to help more people with solid tumors like lung cancer and melanoma.
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Boosting immune response to fight cancer
This study is exploring a new way to help your immune system better fight cancer by tweaking certain cells in your body, and it aims to improve treatment for people with advanced cancer.
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A center focused on immunotherapy for pediatric cancers.
This study is exploring new ways to use the body's immune system to fight childhood cancers, aiming to create better treatments for kids whose cancers haven't responded well to standard therapies.
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Algorithms to find HLA-E neoantigens for cancer immunotherapy
Aims to develop computer methods to discover tumor-specific targets presented by HLA-E to guide new T cell therapies for 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.