Tumor-targeted bispecific T cell engager aimed at ALPPL2 cancer cells
Official title: Bispecific T cell engager targeting a highly specific tumor cell surface antigen
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11369977 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new therapy idea uses a bispecific antibody to recruit a patient’s T cells to kill cancers that express ALPPL2, a tumor-specific surface protein.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | June 15, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,637,225 |
| NIH project number | 4R01CA286428-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11369977 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients whose tumors express ALPPL2 (ALPPL2-positive cancers) could be candidates for future trials or related therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose tumors do not express ALPPL2 or who are unable to tolerate T cell engaging therapies may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to create a bispecific T cell engager that binds ALPPL2 on cancer cells and CD3 on T cells to provoke targeted tumor cell killing. The team will explore target specificity, optimize the CD3 arm to reduce unwanted cytokine release, and compare different molecular architectures to maximize safety and efficacy. The research uses a system engineering approach to identify an optimized construct for ALPPL2-positive cancers such as mesothelioma and several other tumor types. If successful, this could lead to a therapy that attacks cancer cells while sparing most normal tissues.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with ALPPL2-expressing cancers could receive a highly selective therapy that activates T cells to kill tumor cells with potentially fewer side effects.
How similar studies have gone: Similar bispecific T cell engagers have shown promise in cancer therapy, but this work focuses on the highly specific ALPPL2 target and optimized CD3 engagement to widen the therapeutic window.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Liu, Bin — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Liu, Bin
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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.