Treating IGF‑1R–positive breast cancer by targeting soluble E‑cadherin
Official title: sEcad as a novel target and therapy for IGF-1R expressing tumors
Funded at University of Rochester · NIH-11471512 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project develops a treatment that blocks a protein called soluble E‑cadherin to help people whose breast tumors show high IGF‑1R activity.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2015 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2022 |
| Award (this year) | $201,369 |
| NIH project number | 7R01CA194409-10 |
| Project ID | NIH-11471512 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be people with breast cancer whose tumors show high IGF‑1R activity or elevated soluble E‑cadherin, especially those with resistance to HER2‑targeted or hormone therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose tumors do not express IGF‑1R or sEcad, or those with cancers driven by unrelated mechanisms, are unlikely to benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
If you have breast cancer, researchers are focusing on a protein called soluble E‑cadherin (sEcad) that is increased in some tumors and appears to turn on IGF‑1R and survival pathways. They will study patient tumor samples, cancer cell models, purified receptors, and animal models to see whether blocking sEcad reduces tumor cell growth, migration, and resistance to current therapies. The team plans to develop or test agents (for example antibodies or inhibitors) that neutralize sEcad and will measure effects on tumor signaling and response to existing drugs. Their work aims to produce therapies that could later be tested in patients whose tumors are driven by IGF‑1R and sEcad.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to new treatments that reduce tumor growth and overcome resistance in IGF‑1R–positive breast cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Targeting IGF‑1R pathways has been explored before, but directly targeting sEcad is a novel strategy with limited prior clinical testing.
Where this research is happening
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University of Rochester
Rochester, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Brouxhon, Sabine M — University of Rochester
- Study coordinator: Brouxhon, Sabine M
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.