Tracking immunotherapy response using cancer DNA signals in blood
Official title: Monitoring Immunotherapy Response via Gene Silencing Landscapes in Cell-Free DNA
Funded at Binary Genomics, INC. · NIH-11193928 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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 start | September 17, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,009,228 |
| NIH project number | 5R44CA285041-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11193928 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with non-small cell lung cancer who are receiving immunotherapy and can provide blood samples are the main candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose tumors release very little tumor DNA into the bloodstream or those not receiving immunotherapy may not get useful information from this test.
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.
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 gone: 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
-
Binary Genomics, INC.
Phoenix, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Barrett, Michael T — Binary Genomics, INC.
- Study coordinator: Barrett, Michael T
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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.