Treating prostate cancer linked to DNA-repair (BRCA2) changes

Functional Characterization and Development of Therapeutic Paradigms for DNA Damage Repair (DDR)-deficient Lethal Prostate Cancer

NIH-funded research Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · NIH-11301862

This project tests whether combining PSMA-targeted radiation with PARP-blocking drugs can help men whose prostate cancer has DNA repair gene changes (like BRCA2) that make hormone therapy stop working.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionIcahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (New York, United States)
Project IDNIH-11301862 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

The team will use patient tumor data and gene-editing (CRISPR) screens to find which DNA damage repair genes cause prostate cancer to become resistant to hormone therapy. They will study how losing BRCA2 and other DDR genes raises PSMA levels on tumors and then test whether [177Lu]-PSMA-617 radiation plus PARP inhibitors better kills DDR-deficient cancer cells. Work uses data from the PROREPAIR B cohort and laboratory models to guide therapy choices that could move into clinical testing. The goal is to find new combination approaches and biomarkers that could direct future trials for men with these gene changes.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates are men with advanced or metastatic prostate cancer whose tumors carry DNA damage repair gene alterations such as BRCA2 or ATM.

Not a fit: Patients without DDR gene alterations or those who cannot receive PSMA-targeted therapy or PARP inhibitors may not benefit from these approaches.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to combination treatments that improve responses and outcomes for men with DDR-deficient prostate cancer.

How similar studies have performed: PARP inhibitors and PSMA-directed radioligand therapy have each shown benefit for some men with advanced prostate cancer, but combining them for DDR-deficient tumors is a newer approach with only early clinical data so far.

Where this research is happening

New York, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Breast Cancer 2 GeneBreast Cancer Type 2 Susceptibility Gene
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.