Understanding how gut bacteria improve lung cancer treatment

Mechanism of microbiota-mediated potentiation of checkpoint blockade efficacy in lung cancer

['FUNDING_R01'] · NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · NIH-11135595

This project explores how certain gut bacteria might help immunotherapy work better for people with lung cancer and reduce side effects.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_R01']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorNEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (nih funded)
Locations1 site (NEW YORK, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11135595 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

The goal is to understand why some lung cancers respond to immunotherapy and others don't, and why some patients experience severe autoimmune side effects. Researchers believe that bacteria in the gut play a role in how well these treatments work and in causing side effects. This work will look for specific human gut bacteria and their products that can boost the immune system's ability to fight lung cancer after anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. It will also uncover how these bacteria and their products interact with the body's cells to produce these effects.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Patients with lung cancer receiving or considering immunotherapy, especially those interested in how gut bacteria might influence treatment outcomes, could potentially benefit from future applications of this research.

Not a fit: Patients whose cancer is not lung adenocarcinoma or who are not candidates for immune checkpoint blockade may not directly benefit from this specific line of research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to make immunotherapy more effective for lung cancer patients and predict or prevent harmful autoimmune side effects.

How similar studies have performed: Recent studies have highlighted the contribution of the intestinal microbiota to successful immune checkpoint blockade, suggesting a promising area of investigation.

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.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Conditions: Autoimmune Diseases

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 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.