Targeting the HIF2 Pathway in Kidney Cancer
Official title: DF/HCC Kidney Cancer Project 1: Targeting the HIF2 Pathway in Kidney Cancer
Funded at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center · NIH-11421798 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A cancer treatment program aims to see if a drug called belzutifan can help people with a specific kind of kidney cancer whose growth is driven by the HIF2 pathway.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 18, 2003 |
| Project end | August 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $322,233 |
| NIH project number | 2P50CA101942-21A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11421798 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with metastatic sporadic ccRCC who have not previously received VEGFR inhibitors and are eligible for belzutifan-based therapy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-metastatic ccRCC, non-ccRCC kidney cancers, or those not eligible for belzutifan may not benefit from this trial.
What this research studies
This program studies kidney cancer (clear cell renal cell carcinoma) and tests how well belzutifan works in patients whose cancer has spread and has not yet been treated with VEGFR inhibitors. Researchers will examine tumor tissue to find biomarkers related to HIF2α resistance and how it may affect treatment response. The study builds on prior work showing HIF2 is a promising target and uses tissue-based analyses during clinical care to understand why some tumors respond while others do not.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could improve how well belzutifan works for kidney cancer patients and identify biomarkers to guide future therapies.
How similar studies have gone: Prior belzutifan trials showed clinical responses in ccRCC, especially in certain subgroups, supporting further biomarker-focused study.
Where this research is happening
-
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kaelin, William G. — Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Kaelin, William G.
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Optimizing Anti-PD1 Therapy for High-Risk and Metastatic Kidney Cancer
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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.