Th17-inducing vaccine plus pembrolizumab for recurrent ovarian cancer
Official title: A phase I/II study of combined therapy with Th17-inducing dendritic cells and pembrolizumab in patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer
Funded at Mayo Clinic Jacksonville · NIH-11361561 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A phase I/II study tests a vaccine that activates Th17 immune cells together with pembrolizumab to help fight recurrent ovarian cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mayo Clinic Jacksonville NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Jacksonville, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $635,464 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA276313-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11361561 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer who are enrolled in the trial and meet safety criteria.
✕Less likely to help
Some patients may not respond to immunotherapy or may experience intolerable side effects.
What this research studies
This trial combines a Folate Receptor alpha–targeting Th17-inducing vaccine with pembrolizumab to boost the body’s immune attack against ovarian cancer that has returned. Researchers will monitor safety, immune responses, and signs of tumor activity to determine the best dose and schedule. Participants will undergo vaccines, receive pembrolizumab, and have regular visits to assess how well the treatment works and whether any side effects occur. The study builds on prior work showing that vaccines can create needed pre-existing immunity in most ovarian cancer patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could enhance immune responses to ovarian cancer and improve outcomes for patients with recurrent disease.
How similar studies have gone: Previous vaccination strategies have generated immune responses in ovarian cancer patients, with ongoing evaluation needed for clinical benefit.
Where this research is happening
-
Mayo Clinic Jacksonville
Jacksonville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Knutson, Keith L. — Mayo Clinic Jacksonville
- Study coordinator: Knutson, Keith L.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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TAG72 CAR-T therapy for recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer
A targeted CAR-T cell therapy delivered into the abdomen for women with recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer to attack cancer cells expressing TAG72.
-
Liquid biopsy clues: plasma bacteria as early warning for epithelial ovarian cancer
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-
Understanding how cancer cells talk to the immune system and how to use that to treat ovarian cancer
This grant studies how aging-like changes in ovarian cancer cells drive harmful signals and tests new ways to block those signals to improve treatment.
-
Targeting the immune system to help treat recurrent ovarian cancer
Aims to test a new approach that blocks a part of the immune system (complement) to boost anticancer immunity in people with recurrent ovarian cancer and fluid buildup.
-
CAR T-cell therapy targeting TAG72 for recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer
This trial tries a CAR T‑cell treatment that targets the TAG72 protein for people with recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer, given directly into the abdomen.
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How fat use changes make ovarian cancer more invasive and chemo‑resistant
This project looks at whether shifts in how ovarian cancer cells use fats make them more likely to spread and resist chemotherapy for people with epithelial ovarian 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.