Test to predict whether clear-cell kidney cancer will spread
Official title: A PROGNOSTIC ASSAY FOR METASTATIC CLEAR CELL RENAL CELL CARCINOMA
Funded at Lagrange Scientific, LLC · NIH-11141802 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A 12-marker tissue test is being developed to predict which people with clear-cell renal cell carcinoma are likely to develop metastatic disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Lagrange Scientific, LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pewee Valley, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $538,827 |
| NIH project number | 5R44CA288032-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11141802 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people diagnosed with clear-cell renal cell carcinoma, particularly those who have had initial surgery and face decisions about surveillance versus early systemic therapy.
✕Less likely to help
People with non–clear-cell kidney cancers or those already known to have metastatic disease are unlikely to benefit from this specific prognostic test.
What this research studies
This Phase II SBIR project works with tumor tissue from people with clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) to find specific metabolite biomarkers linked to early spread. The team plans to build and validate a 12-marker panel measured from tumor samples to separate aggressive cancers from indolent ones. If the panel performs as hoped, it could identify patients who might benefit from earlier systemic therapy or those who could safely follow conservative management. The work will include laboratory bioassays and analysis of clinical tissue cohorts to test how well the markers predict later metastasis.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the test could help doctors start systemic treatments earlier for people whose tumors are likely to spread and avoid overtreatment for others.
How similar studies have gone: Genomic and molecular classifiers for kidney cancer have shown mixed results, and a metabolite-based 12-marker prognostic panel is relatively novel and still needs independent validation.
Where this research is happening
-
Lagrange Scientific, LLC
Pewee Valley, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Coughlin, Richard Thomas — Lagrange Scientific, LLC
- Study coordinator: Coughlin, Richard Thomas
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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.