Tracking immunotherapy response using cancer DNA signals in blood
Monitoring Immunotherapy Response via Gene Silencing Landscapes in Cell-Free DNA
This project uses a blood test that detects cancer-specific gene-silencing patterns to monitor how people with non-small cell lung cancer respond to immunotherapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Binary Genomics, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Phoenix, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11193928 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would give a blood sample so researchers can look for cell-free tumor DNA with epigenetic ‘gene silencing’ signals that are common across many cancers. The test targets cancer-associated DNA methylation or silencing patterns rather than specific mutations, so it can work without a prior tumor profile. Because it does not require customized assays for each patient, the approach could apply to more people and types of tumors. Early Phase I results from the developers showed broad patient coverage and promising ability to follow treatment response during immunotherapy.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with non-small cell lung cancer who are receiving immunotherapy and can provide blood samples are the main candidates.
Not a fit: Patients whose tumors release very little tumor DNA into the bloodstream or those not receiving immunotherapy may not get useful information from this test.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help patients learn sooner and more accurately whether immunotherapy is working and reduce uncertainty from scans.
How similar studies have performed: Previous ctDNA studies have shown that early drops in tumor DNA predict immunotherapy response, and this epigenetic-based method is newer but showed encouraging Phase I results.
Where this research is happening
Phoenix, UNITED STATES
- Binary Genomics, INC. — Phoenix, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Barrett, Michael T — Binary Genomics, INC.
- Study coordinator: Barrett, Michael T
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 below.